Dad’s Rules

I have always told my kids to follow Dad’s Rules. When they left house, I would remind them, “Don’t forget Dad’s Rules.” They would usually reply with a grunt, “I know dad.” I would the ask, “OK, what’s rule #3?” At that point they would roll their eyes and answer with a sigh, “Don’t be…” So here are Dad’s Rules.

Rule #1: Always have fun. Life is too short. Enjoy it while you can. Life should be joyful. You should work hard and do your best but at the end of the day you should go to bed with a smile on your face.

Rule #2: Always have a backup plan. Life doesn’t always go as planned. Be prepared to do something else. Don’t get stuck somewhere with no way to get back home. Think ahead. Sometimes you may want a backup to your backup plan.

Rule #3: Don’t be stupid. Don’t take needless risks. Be aware of what you’re doing. Be thoughtful. Think of others.

Extra credit, rule #4: Embrace serendipity. This may be my favorite. We can have everything planned out, every little detail, but the best choice may be the one that just presented itself. When the kids were younger, we used to get in the car to take short car trips. I would ask them to pick a direction and we would drive in that direction until we found something interesting. Serendipity guided us. Life should be like road trip, only longer.