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Dear Baby II

Dear Baby,

We were looking the other day at "Forty Old-Fashioned Skills All Kids Should Have."

A few thoughts:

*How to take note of needs around you. 

Is someone shivering? Offer this person a sweater. My observation is that the number-one need people have is to be listened to. People are generally aware whether you are (a) listening with curiosity or (b) counting down the seconds until you can open your own mouth to say something that is (only) tangentially relevant. Which is not to say that option (a) is particularly easy, or that the Polonius writing this letter is good at option (a). Just an observation.

*How to balance a checkbook. 

I mean, I can show you how to do this, but I don't actually do this. I tend not to pay attention, until one evening, right before bed, I will become seized with anxiety about a check I may or may not have received. Where did that check go?

There's a strategy called "Park Your Anxieties," where you write down everything that bothers you just before you go to sleep. This might help you go to sleep--but it might not help you to locate your check. We can talk about all of this.

A general tip from my husband, your other dad: Before diving into most tasks, it's a good idea to Google: "How/Where To...." For example: "Where to find the cheapest school supplies." "How to decline an invitation in a polite way." I'm a great fan of Google.

*How to read slowly. This is such a good one. What a difference it makes to pause and take a breath whenever you see a period! Or a comma! How much more rewarding the act of reading can become!

I think we should all try to read as the actress Jennifer Lawrence reads. I have a feeling she is a very intense, rigorous, invested reader. We can talk more about this later, as well.

Happy napping!

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