Raising kids who are responsible and good decision makers is a tough job, especially with the current sociatial pressures. 

Keeping the dialogue open and sharing adult wins and failures on a regular basis helps create a safe structure for discussing hard topics. 

When my kids were young, I couldn't imagine a time when we didn't eat together at the dinner table.  And then they started in dance and sports and those schedules totally threw off the routine and schedule. 

I learned that it is important to adapt but not lose the core values.  Instead of checking in about the day during dinner, we did this on the drive to school or to/from sports practice or games depending on the day and the need for the hubs and I to divide and conquer. 

During hard seasons I would make a point to focus on the positives and set the intention to fuel my kids with compliments and point out a job well done rather than constantly nagging and telling them what they are doing wrong. 

Setting them up for success has a reciprocal positive impact on us as parents. When they are happy and doing well, we are happy and doing well and the opposite is true as well. 

I'm not perfect at parenting and make plenty of mistakes!  However, I've been through the gamut of circumstances and want parents to feel empowered and supported to raise kind, compassionate, and responsible humans who look back on their childhood with fondness.  I want them to have amazing memories and carry on family traditions within their own lives and have the skills to create their own positive memories.