Old School: Wisdom From Grandma & Grandpa

Common sense, hard-won lessons and the way our grandparents did it, from the people who lived it. Still works.

The BRO Code. What to do, what not to do, and a few laughs on the way.

The Grad Party Teenagers Won't Want to Leave

Keep it dry, keep it safe, and make it the best night in town. The rules work when the party's good enough that nobody wants to leave.

GuideBRO for HerNina CastellanOct 2, 20266 min

The green flags that only show up on an ordinary Tuesday

Work ethic, patience with kids and kept promises rarely appear over dinner. You have to know where to look, and what the fakes look like.

Ask BRO

Rehearse the raise conversation with me

Ask it

GuideDadsSam OrtizSep 28, 20265 min

The no-questions ride home is harder to keep than to make

Any hour, any place, no questions in the car. Saying it takes a minute. Keeping it at 2 a.m. is where kids find out if you meant it.

GermProof.com — An invisible germ barrier on your skin for hours

PartnerGermProof.com

BRO Seniors6 min read

Join the Club, Then Take the Job Nobody Wants

In any choir, guild or fishing club, newcomers become friends through the coffee urn, the sign-in sheet and the third visit, not through talent.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

GuideBRO for HerNina CastellanOct 2, 20266 min

He knows about the waiter test. Watch the second mistake.

Every man has heard he should be nice to the waiter. The tests that still tell you something are the ones he doesn't know he's taking.

GuideMomsNina CastellanSep 27, 20266 min

Your Kids Are Watching What Your Values Cost You

Children don't adopt the values you talk about. They adopt the ones they watch you pay for. How to pass yours on without a single speech.

Dude.com — 16 AI advisers who listen, talk and are here with you

PartnerDude.com

GuideBRO SeniorsNina CastellanSep 27, 20267 min

Tag the Story Before You Sort the Stuff

Most of what you own is worth less than you think. The part that's priceless is the story, and it goes when you do unless you write it down.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

Six questions. No email required, no sales pitch at the end.

GuideBRO for HerNina CastellanOct 2, 20266 min

If your dad wasn't that man, steady can feel boring at first

The man who calls when he said he would might bore you. That isn't a red flag. It's the thing you never got to watch up close.

$The Best Weapon Against Classroom Ideology Is a Math Test$

BRO TakeSchool & LearningJosh HalloranSep 26, 20265 min

The Best Weapon Against Classroom Ideology Is a Math Test

Parents who win the curriculum fight don't start with outrage. They start with the reading program, the scores and a polite email with a paper trail.

Ask BRO

Plan a cook for eight people

Ask it

GuideBRO SeniorsMarcus ValeSep 27, 20267 min

Book the Airport Wheelchair Even If You Can Walk

The hardest walk of your trip is the terminal. Skip it, save your legs for the grandkids, and know what your insurance won't cover abroad.

Shirts.com — Design it with AI. Wear it this week.

PartnerShirts.com

GuideBRO for HerNina CastellanOct 1, 20265 min

The parts of your dad worth looking for in a husband

Skip his taste in trucks. The things he did before sunrise, the ones you only noticed after you moved out, are the real yardstick.

Poll

Where does your phone charge overnight?

GuideMomsNina CastellanSep 26, 20266 min

You Found a Vape in the Laundry. Now What?

What to look for, what to say by the dryer, and how to get your teen through the rough first week of quitting nicotine.

GuideBRO SeniorsCal BrennanSep 27, 20266 min

Your First Respite Break Is a Rehearsal, Not a Vacation

Caring for your spouse full time? Start with three hours on a Tuesday, not a week away, and build the break you'll need later.

PartnerWhackAWoke.com

GuideBRO for HerNina CastellanSep 30, 20266 min

Twenty cheap women's nights that beat the forty-dollar dinner out

The best nights with your friends don't need a reservation. They need a pot of soup, a job for everyone's hands, and a date on the calendar.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next two weeks.

School & Learning6 min

The School Board Is the Last Stop, Not the First

BRO Seniors6 min

Give Your Kids a Job Before They Take Over Yours

Ask BRO

Build me a 30-day training plan around two sessions a week

Ask it

GuideBRO for HerNina CastellanSep 30, 20266 min

Start a monthly women's night and pick the date only once

Invites, food and the one scheduling decision that decides whether your group is still meeting a year from now.

Delicious.com — Nine thousand recipes and a plan for tonight

PartnerDelicious.com

School & Learning6 min read

The parent with a binder beats the parent with a microphone

Outrage gets you three minutes at a board meeting. A paper trail gets results. How parents actually keep activism out of the classroom.

Poll

Where does your best time with your kids happen?

Older articles

Older Old School stories