Dr. John Quotes

Forgiveness is important in families, especially when there are so many secrets that need to be healed - for the most part, every family's got them.

I wanted a good relationship with my mother, and I realized I had a choice: Either I could spend all my time angry that she didn't give me the hugs I thought I needed, or I could understand that she hugs differently. It's not a spread-open-the-arms, 'come here' hug. She hugs by sheltering me from her worries.

My mum has lived in Australia for 22 years now, and we have a rocky relationship. But at the same time it's one I want to maintain. I need her to be my mum. The relationship took a lot of rebuilding.

My relationships with both my mother and father are good. We spent several difficult years hashing over the problems and the past, and worked out a fairly solid middle ground. I wouldn't say my relationship with either of them - they're no longer together - is exactly typical, but that would be difficult after all we went through.

It would be nice if I did have a good relationship with my family, and yes, part of me longs to have a mum and dad who love and accept me for who I am. But if they never do, it's OK.

If I could do one thing over I'd have been nicer to my parents.

I think sometimes we look at other people's marriages and we think they must always be so happy together. I don't know anybody who's married for a long time who hasn't somehow made room in their love story for the hate and resentment that they sometimes feel toward each other.

I went from resenting my mother-in-law to accepting her, finally to appreciating her. What appeared to be her diffidence when I was first married, I now value as serenity.

I've been working on my relationship with my parents and my sister over the years.

Some of my best friends here in New York have pasts I have a hard time reconciling with the people I'm close to now. But I wouldn't change them - or their pasts - for anything in the world. Their experiences are what made them the people they are today.

It's not easy being a father, but I've been allowed a comeback.

Children are not unforgiving. You can punish them and they will hug you in a few minutes.

I don't think there's anything more important than making peace before it's too late. And it almost always falls to the child to try to move toward the parent.

Sincere regret may be a faculty for paying attention to the future, for sensing a new tide where we missed a previous one, for experiencing timelessness with a grandchild where we neglected a boy of our own.

Never too late to change your relationship with somebody in your life.

I love coaching my grandkids, but I love working with my two sons. J.D. is the head coach, and I'm the assistant - you believe that? I missed so much of them growing up. I really messed up there. So I like working with J.D. and Coy. I'm trying not to do the same thing again. With J.D. and Coy, I missed so much.

I'm not a great father and there have been many occasions, when I fall short, but I'm genuinely trying.

My dad persevered and always took the high road and was accountable, and I respect and honor him for that.

I love my mother and hope to one day reconcile with her.

I've done so much healing on myself, been through personal hell, through hell in my relationships; my children have been through so much, and we've gotten to a place of healing.

Since 2011, I am happy to say that I have reconciled with Ahmed Hirsi; we have married in our faith tradition and are raising our family together. Like all families, we have had our ups and downs, but we are proud to have come through it together.

My relationship with my mom has really evolved since The Hills. We had a very hard time getting through that, and I didn't talk to her for almost two years, but since then we have learned to get over the past and move forward.

My mum and I have an incredible friendship now after a mixture of pain, honesty, unconditional love and a long break from each other

If I'm in the wrong, I'll always say sorry, but sometimes it takes a while.

I feel teenage is an age when you should try and spend most of your time with your child. You can't leave them with maid or servants.