Want to Raise Good Humans? Get a Little Old-Fashioned.

My three kids are young adults now. People sometimes ask me what we did.

The honest answer? Nothing fancy.

We had house rules, and we stuck to them. Some of them would fit right in at my parents table!

Here they are — and why each one mattered.

1. No phones at dinner

2. Eye contact and a firm handshake

3. Please and thank you — to everyone

4. Smile at strangers

5. Listen — don't interrupt

6. Handwritten thank-you notes

7. Show up on time — early is on time

8. Make money — and save some

9. Include your siblings

Why old-fashioned still works

None of these rules are about being strict.

They're about raising people who are kind, capable, and comfortable in any room.

They also made our family run better.

When the basics are settled, you spend less time negotiating and more time actually enjoying each other. That's what alignment looks like at home — the pieces working together instead of against each other.

Want more? My book, Balance Is Bullshit, is about building a life where your career, family, marriage, and self actually fit together.