Dear Dr. Laura,

I first wanted to thank you for your wisdom through the years. I go all the way back to "Ten Stupid Things Men Do To Mess Up Their Lives" days. It was the book that allowed me to break some bad habits many years ago. It is also the book that is required reading for my teenage "sons" BEFORE they are set loose upon the world. (I have twin boys who turn 16 this month).

In one of your emails, there was a "convenience store" analogy. I realized its significance to our home want to impart some wisdom to your listeners if you will allow.

I am a "step" dad. My twins are my step sons. They are my SONS. I have close now to ten years of step parenting under my belt. Cutting to the chase, as with everything in life, we all have "choices". My choice in life was to never be an "employee" in anything I've ever done. I've always been entrepreneurial in everything I ever set out to do. I've enjoyed much success as a result. Paradigm is everything!: That being said, one can make the choice to sign on as a third shift employee or one can choose to OWN the convenience store.

In our "convenience store", I am the "franchisee" and my wife is the "franchisor". And before I EVER signed on the dotted line, I did my "due diligence" to make sure that the "franchisor" was going to be the right franchise to invest my hard earned money and time in. This meant, I was looking for a franchise that was going to offer "great corporate support". Do they have the right products? Is the overall "product" consistent throughout their other "stores"? Do they invest in my success through "advertising dollars"? Do they have the right corporate manuals? (i.e. "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands," "The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage", "The Ten Commandments" and, dare I say, "The Bible") Last, but not least, who was the REAL "CEO" of the 'franchise'. In our case of "Adam and Eve's Quick Stop" the REAL CEO's initials begin with the Capital "G".

Failure on either side to honor the "franchise agreement" could result in termination of said agreement.

In our 'store', my sons are not "trust fund babies", THEY are the "third shift employees" who have to learn the "corporate structure" and how the business WORKS before being given the opportunity to "buy in" to an opportunity of their own some day. Cain and Abel don't run the store, Adam and Eve do. End of corporate meeting.

My 'sons' call me "DAD". They were never prompted or ordered to do so. It was merely through years of consistency and trust that they knew I WAS the dad in the "convenience store", and would run it according to the "franchise agreement" between the franchisor, the franchisee, and the real CEO.

You can choose to run the store or forever stay in the graveyard shift.

Blessings,

Keith