"Should I step in or step back?" If you're a parent, you've asked yourself this question a thousand times. We all want to protect our kids, but if we shield them from every struggle, are we actually holding them back? I’ve been wrestling with this myself, especially when it comes to letting my kids take risks—both physically and emotionally. That’s when I started using the "Broken Arm or Broken Back?" rule. It’s helped me figure out when to intervene and when to let them work things out on their own. But I’ll be honest—it’s not always easy to watch.

If you’ve ever wondered how much struggle is the right amount, this one's for you. 👇

Focused Wonder

I’ve been trying to get better at having deeper conversations with my kids—you know, the kind that go beyond the usual "How was your day?" and "Fine." responses. Lately, I’ve been experimenting with a new question:

👉 "What’s something you did today that made you feel proud?"

I don’t know if it’s the perfect question, but I’ve noticed it gets my kids thinking in a way that What happened at school? never does. Sometimes, they give me a real answer. Other times, they just shrug and say, "I dunno." But when it works, it leads to some of the best conversations we’ve had.

I’ve also been testing out some follow-up questions to keep the conversation going:

💬 "What was challenging about it?"
(I’m trying to see if they connect pride with effort—or if it’s something else entirely.)

💬 "Did anyone else notice? How did that feel?"
(I wonder how much outside validation plays into what they feel proud of.)

💬 "If you could go back and do it again, would you change anything?"
(I’m curious if they even think about self-improvement, or if kids just move on faster than we do.)

💬 "How do you think that moment shaped who you are becoming?"
(Okay, maybe this one is a bit deep for a kid, but sometimes they surprise me.)

I don’t have this figured out. Some days, I get nothing. Other days, I hear things that make me realize my kids are thinking about the world in ways I hadn’t even considered.

Focus in Motion

Curated videos to help make you think, to motivate, or to just laugh.