Beware fixing your kids in "roles" ("the rational," "the artist," "the difficult") — each is multifaceted.

Run your current thought through the list of ten to pinpoint exactly which mental trap caught you.

Prefix every thought with "my mind is telling me..." to see you are not it.

Draw self as symbol/animal/scene — discover self unconsciously.

Use one emotion-labeling phrase that defuses tension in a hard conversation within 30 seconds.

When he speaks, name feeling: "sounds frustrated" — labeling calms emotions.

Every difficult behavior hides an unmet need — practice the question that reveals it instead of judging it.

Rule: per email, one decision: reply in 2 min, delegate, defer, or delete. No "later".