Have a family game plan for unexpected injuries. A piece of candy, a bandage, and/or a kiss. Suck, apply pressure, or add a hug. Do it the same every time.



Don’t give advice promises you can’t guarantee (Such as, I promise this will work . . .). Life is a risk. Suggest people weigh the outcomes, positive and negative.


Map skills are essential, even if you have GPS. Using hand-drawn or printed maps, start a family treasure hunt, appoint a preteen leader at the zoo, or sign up your spouse for a geocaching course.


When banking and shopping online, look for https:// in the address bar. Be aware that http:// isn’t secure. One provides security and the other doesn’t.