Author Archives: Dad

Rule #89: Guilt is No Aphrodisiac This blog is about passing on lessons to my kids—practical rules that can help them make better choices. One lesson I’ve seen them wrestle with is how to end relationships. Through my example, I’ve … Continue reading →

Rule #2016: Take a Mulligan Life will hand you situations where every option feels lousy. Sometimes it’s relationships, sometimes jobs, sometimes politics. You look at the choices in front of you and think: Really? This is the best we can … Continue reading →

Rule #111: The Motorcycle Rule I live by a simple rule when it comes to asking questions in life: I never ask a question if “no” isn’t an acceptable answer. If I really want to buy a motorcycle, and I … Continue reading →

Rule #133: Tell No One – keeping a secret Everyone has secrets. Some are big—like a past mistake you’d rather leave buried. Some are small—like covering the gray in your hair. Whatever the case, if you don’t want something known, … Continue reading →

It’s a Girl! This isn’t a rule, it’s more of a declaration. I attended my first “gender reveal” with my son Andrew and his wife Ashleigh, and sometime late this summer the world will welcome my first grandchild. We now … Continue reading →

Rule #91: Enjoy the Meal I just left a wonderful Italian restaurant after a long, lingering dinner with friends. The place was called Italian Cucina in New Hope—no printed menu, just course after course presented to us. The owner, Joe, … Continue reading →

Rule #92: Forget the Selfie We all have a bucket list—the things we want to experience before our time runs out. Mine includes drinking at Oktoberfest in Germany, riding the Orient Express, and taking a cooking class at Le Cordon … Continue reading →

Rule# 81: Take the stage I just watched my youngest daughter, Abigail, in her first middle school production of Beauty and the Beast — and she was fantastic. No, she wasn’t “Beauty,” nor one of the major speaking roles. But … Continue reading →

Rule #73: Winning is a Deodorant I recently read about the firing of Eagles’ coach Chip Kelly, and I kept seeing the same phrase pop up from sportswriters: “winning is a deodorant.” It stuck with me. Because if Chip had … Continue reading →

Rule #88: Santa is Real As Christmas approaches, I remind my kids of a long-standing Hill household rule: once you stop believing in Santa, he stops visiting you. This rule has worked wonders in keeping my teenagers from spoiling the … Continue reading →