The legendary John Wooden grew up in Hall, Indiana. His father was a farmer. At John’s eighth grade graduation, his father handed him a piece of paper. On that piece of paper were seven handwritten rules. “Son,” he said, “Try to live up to this.” 

The rules?

• Be true to yourself.
• Help others.
• Make each day your masterpiece.
• Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
• Make friendship a fine art.
• Build a shelter against a rainy day by the life you live.
• Pray for guidance and counsel, and give thanks for your blessings each day.

Coach Wooden would keep that piece of paper in his wallet until the day he died. He would share those principles with thousands of students and athletes over his 43 year career. He would pass them along to millions more through his writing and speaking. Those were the rules he tried to live by, that he had been given by his father (who in turn had probably learned many of them from his father). 

The question is, what rules are you passing along to your children? Do you know them? Have you written them down? Your kids are desperate for this kind of guidance, just as you were at that age, just as young John Wooden was. We all need someone to step up and provide it.

It’s your job. Do it.

P.S. This was originally sent on Oct 1 2019. Sign up today for the Daily Dad’s email and get our popular 11 page eBook, “20 Things Great Dads Do Everyday.”