To Grad From Dad by Dan John; Book Review

Dan John is known as a strength coach. He’s also a dad to two daughters, and a few years ago, he wrote a book for his oldest daughter. It was a hit, and friends convinced him to release it to the public. 

In 42 pages, he covers a gamut of parental advice. I read it over Father’s Day weekend because well, Samuel. Anything I could learn to teach him would make the $2.99 worth it.

To Grad from Dad

“This is Dan John’s collection of material written for his daughter. We think you’ll enjoy his thoughts on living a full life, now available on your Kindle.”

I really liked this piece of advice as an avid journaler. I record more events than thoughts in it. 

“Take pictures, keep a journal, scrapbook your stuff. When life turns on you…and it will…it is nice to have a quiet place to remind yourself that much of the time things go well. Embrace your successes and try to only make the same mistakes once.”

I really liked this part about dating.

“Short course on dating: enjoy dating and don’t think you have to marry every person you date. Enjoy dating, but remember that just because someone pays for your meal or movie doesn’t mean you “owe” them anything. If they act like you do, they don’t think of you as a person, but a piece of meat to buy and sell. Stick with people who think that human dignity is most important thing.”

I’ll have to tweak it for Samuel. No girl “owes” him anything for any expense he makes on their part. I’ll Gibbs Smack him if he does.

“When asked about investing money, he gave two words of practical advice: “Do it.” Now, having said that, there will be questions that will arise: first, why am I telling an eighth-grader to invest? Well, any money that you invest early in your life will have that wonderful gift called “time” to earn more and more and more for you…without you doing a thing. The second reason is simple: you must always look long term in life.”

I’m a consummate saver, mostly due to growing up poor and not wanting to go back to that. It’s even a little bit of a fear I have. Definitely going to teach him to look ahead. 

“On The Single Best Advice I Ever Got It was in the weekly Parade Magazine in the newspaper and it was an article about finances by Andrew Tobias. Simply, this… Copy the front and back of everything in your wallet. You see, if you lose the thing, you have a problem, sure, but where do you find all the numbers to report all the stuff you lost? On the cards in your wallet! But, you just lost them!!! So, every so often, slap everything in your wallet on the copy machine and take a picture of both sides.”

I have honestly never thought of this…

Health issues? Dan dispenses common sense like a Pez dispenser.

“Illness is sometimes the luck of the draw…or being a schoolteacher…but more often than not you can prevent it. Colds take about two weeks whether or not you treat it, so go easy on all the cold pills and the anti-this and anti-that. An annual physical with a doctor worthy of the name will go a long way towards avoiding the real killers…as long as you put on your seat belt on the way over. Let me say it again: 1. Don’t smoke 2. Buckle your seat belt. You’ll handle the colds, flus, stomach issues and whatnot with some aspirin and some chicken soup.”

This next one is critical. In the years working with GriefShare, regret eats at too many.

“Don’t wait…even one evening…to settle problems with people you love. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t wait to tell people you love them. Tell them daily. One of the biggest struggles in dealing with grief is all the “unfinished business.””

I’ll end with this one. 

“A few random ideas: first, always…and I mean this…celebrate any goals you achieve. It can be very simple and private like a bowl of ice cream to something elaborate like a dinner party. I don’t care…always acknowledge a goal attained. Next, be sure to set a few goals that are hard to get. Don’t make a bunch of goals like: “I will go to school tomorrow and sit in a chair.” Make a couple like, “I will change the world by creating a pollutionless method of creating energy.” Or whatever, the point is to make them and celebrate it.”

This book could be called Adulting 101. It’s geared towards an eighth-grader, but the practical advice in it applies to any adult. 

I highly recommend it.