Parents have to choose their battles.

8 fights worth picking with your kids:

Parenting is hard.

We're all figuring it out as we go.

One of the most difficult things to sort through is when to take a stand,

And when to let up.

There's no magic formula for figuring this out,

But these are a few things I've found worth squaring off with your kids over.

The Reading Fight:

Make your kids read.

Of my four kids, one was a natural reader who always had a book in his hands.

For the others, it was a fight.

But it's a fight worth picking,

Because reading is tied to everything from cognitive development to the ability to focus.

My wife teaches ACT prep and works with students on college admissions.

Of all the tips, tricks, and hacks she can provide, there's one thing she says she can't overcome ⏤

A kid who didn't read.

Make your kids read now.

They'll thank you later.

The Outside Fight:

Make your kids go outside.

The natural world teaches us things.

Valuable truths like:

- There's a way things work that I must adapt to (because it won't adapt to me)

- There are things I have no control over

- There are cycles and seasons to life