When was the last time somebody wrote you a letter? Not a text message, or a quick email, but something that was a complete surprise to tell you how much they care about you, and how much you mean to them. I’m sure most of us do our very best to tell the ones we love how much we appreciate them. But there’s just something about having that message written or typed out on paper that makes it really special. On that note, I want to talk about creating a culture of encouragement. And how we can get better at celebrating the big moments in our kids’ lives to make sure that on their day, it’s all about them. In this conversation, I’m joined by my good friend and fellow Front Row Dad, Doug Phillips. I can’t wait for you to hear about the awesome tradition that he has with his family. I won’t even lie, I am totally going to use this concept with my family and I’m sure a lot of you out there listening probably will too. To give you a quick glimpse, when Doug was planning for his son’s 13th birthday, he reached out to a bunch of people who were influential in his son’s life with the goal of getting 13 responses. And he asked them if they would write a letter (or email) to his son. In the letter, each person was asked to answer two very simple questions: What character qualities do you appreciate about him? Since you know what it’s like to be a 13 year old, what advice would you give him? And to hear about his son reading these letters from teachers, friends, coaches and other parents was beyond profound. It’s such an amazing and unique gift. And the best part is that it’s something that everyone can do with their family. So join me, as we dig in for part one of my chat with Doug as we talk about how we can find and create mentors for our kids, how this tradition has created deeper connections with the people in his life, and the impact that these affirmation traditions are having in their lives. One last thing, we are a few weeks away from our next online summit which is happening on March 24th. The next pillar that we’ll be talking about is on the topic of Vibrant Health. If you want some more information on this, go to FrontRowDads.com/Summit. Doug Phillips Podcast Highlights The incredible tradition that Doug’s family has created by asking for letters from other people who were influential in his kids' lives. How these letters created such a unique, personalized and impactful gift. What advice would you give to a 13 year old that you wished you had when you were their age? How children with divorced parents often struggle to find mentors. The importance of celebrating your child's birthdays, and making sure they feel loved, appreciated and experience gratitude. The weekly tradition that Doug’s family has with other parents at their kids school where they meet and plan an activity for the whole group. How the family affirmation traditions help to not only send, but receive gratitude from others. It’s great to have these routines and rituals, but it’s very easy to get away from them. Get the Full Show Notes Want access to the full show notes, including links to all resources mentioned during today's conversation? Visit FrontRowDads.com/319 Want to learn more about Front Row Dads? We are in the business of building better families. While most dads would say that family matters most, the challenge is they feel guilty knowing their careers get the best of them, and their family seems to get the rest of them. We help Dads become family men with businesses, not businessmen who have families, so they can thrive personally AND professionally. Subscribe to the Front Row Dad podcast to learn about fatherhood, marriage and how to level up your game at home, or if you’re ready for the best coaching and true brothers to grow with, Join The Brotherhood! Are you getting all the shows? Subscribe today! Want to leave a review? THANK YOU! http://FrontRowDads.com/review