On this week’s episode, I answer a listener question on allowance, tithes, and savings.

You should become a person who studies parenting whether you have kids or not because it has to do with employee/employer relations, sales, and almost every form of society.

• Parenting is the fulcrum that society tilts upon.
• If we want our children to achieve great things as an adult, we must be responsible, calm, and able to provide an understanding of how things work.

We don’t give the boys money for anything.

• They do chores and their reward is they get to live in our house. That is being part of the family.
• We sometimes give them gifts, but if something is not taken care of, it’s not just about the money, it’s about what the money represents.

God commands us to give.

• If we look at money as a blessing, giving the first of it is saying we trust there will be enough.
• I have lived very close to the bone a number of years and I must say that when Polly and I started tithing, it was really at the insistence of Polly.
• As I began to learn how to tithe properly, I realized we were never without.

Listen to the entire episode to hear about one of the proudest moments of Andy’s life.

Questions for Andy

Would you like to run something by Andy? Contact us and your question might be featured on the show!

• Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
• Email: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
• Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
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On this week’s episode, I answer a listener question on how to create a life by design based on the talents and gifts you’re given.

This question has an obvious answer that I overlooked for a number of years.

• Talents and skills are two different things. Josh Groban’s vocal gifts are a God-given talent. My ability to juggle is a skill I developed.
• It’s important to know the difference. And before you polish your talents or hone your skills…

FIRST look at where you want to go, THEN work with the talents and skills that will get you there.

• There’s not a single pathway you can take that will work like you want it to if you don’t know where you want to go in the first place!
• Even when you know where you want to go, the pathway will never take you to that destination in a straight line.
• We’re most effective when we’re flexible. Life’s pathways shift; you need to build muscle in different areas to prepare for those shifts.
• Then work with some faith and your end result in mind; once you know where you’re going, get on it—time’s a-wastin’!

 Tune in to learn the insider details on how Andy’s longtime friend Dave Ramsey prepared his pathway to becoming the most trusted—and successful—voice on money in America.

Questions for Andy

Would you like to run something by Andy? Contact us and your question might be featured on the show!

• Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
• Email: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
• Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
• Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

On this week’s episode, I answer a listener question on finding the right fit when choosing a school for your kids.

The 7th and 8th grade years are critical

• It’s when kids are really deciding what they believe and who they think is cool.
• There is not a more critical time to create a great relationship with your child.
• We homeschooled Austin in the 7th and 8th grade, and some people might say that homeschooling is not preparing someone for the real world.
• If you met Austin now, you might think that he seems more mature than some of his peers.

The social aspects of high school seem to be incredibly important to parents who look back on high school as being the best time of their lives.

• If everything was downhill from high school, you’re probably dying for your kid to go to every party and social event.
• However, you’re in high school a very short time; the rest of your life should be more important and get better and better.
• How do you want your kids socialized? Do you want them to adopt different standards?
• We were able to take Austin places and have him meet people and see how life goes on—he was socialized with adults.
• I will admit that at 16 years of age, he seems to be more comfortable in the company of adults.

Tune in to hear how Andy believes trust issues with teens are best eliminated, and more on how educational environments impact different kids in different ways, at different ages.

Questions for Andy

Would you like to run something by Andy? Contact us and your question might be featured on the show!

• Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
• Email: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
• Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
• Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

On this week’s episode, we’re switching things up and discussing a few of the “Andy Hacks” I use to save time and money.

Tune in this week to hear about…

• The correct way to peel a banana.
• The story of cutting my own hair for the first time—and how and why I continue to do it for myself, the boys, and others.
• How Austin and Adam figured out how to peel pears with a power drill.
• How I created a pair of reading glasses when each eye has a different prescription.

We would love to hear some of your life hacks! Send them in an email to InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com.

Questions for Andy

Would you like to run something by Andy? Contact us and your question might be featured on the show!

• Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
• Email: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
• Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
• Twitter.com/AndyAndrews

On this week’s episode, I answer a listener question about dating and when it’s time to give your children “the talk.”

This week’s question is from a parent with two boys, so let me start by saying…

• I don’t think there’s anything more important in relationship-building than to tell those two boys how brothers act.
• Tell them your house is a laboratory they can use to become the kind of adults who can deal with all kinds of people after navigating through sibling disagreements.

There’s going to be plenty of time for boys to be wild-eyed about girls.

• 5th grade is not the time to press the dating issue.
• If your child has a friend of the opposite sex, don’t take them somewhere and tell them they are on a date.
• In my opinion, you are forcing something into this child’s head before it’s time.

You always want to have an open dialogue with your kids.

• I urge you to watch them closely, and watch the parents of your kids’ friends closely.
• Ask questions.
• Boys are much more comfortable talking while they’re doing something.
• If you can go throw the ball around or walk around the neighborhood—boys talk about these things much easier side to side than face to face.
• These activities give you a lot of time to talk, and you’ll be able to discern when the time is right to have “the talk.” The time is earlier rather than later.

Tune in to hear how Andy approached “the talk” with Austin, and how you can start influencing your kids’ decisions on finding the right partner for the future.

Questions for Andy

Would you like to run something by Andy? Contact us and your question might be featured on the show!

• Phone: 1-800-726-ANDY
• Email: InTheLoop@AndyAndrews.com
• Facebook.com/AndyAndrews
• Twitter.com/AndyAndrews