Uncertain Steps

Previous posts have discussed the importance of parents  communicating certain things to our teenagers regarding their future:

Finding their own unique niche

Pursuing interests

Doing things that matter

For many parents, including me, “communicate” usually means WE talk, they listen. That’s how it has always been.  We know best.
Without a doubt, adults do have significant life experiences to convey [...]

The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center sits on the banks of the Missouri River in Sioux City, Iowa.  I must have driven past it 50 to 100 times in the last 6 months…but I’ve never stopped.  Today I decided to actually go inside.
I’m not exactly a history buff which is probably why I haven’t exactly [...]

Back in December, I wrote a post that questioned whether a bachelors degree was really the “Golden Ticket” to a successful life that everyone seems to think.
At that time, I discussed some of the statistics regarding the difference in average lifetime earnings between those with a college degree and those with only a high school [...]

(I’m sure my daughter is going to want to disown me when she sees a headline like this…but hold on, it’s not all bad!)
As you can see, I’m quite late getting this post published.  I got caught up in the devastating effects of the hurricane in Haiti and have been trying to put together a [...]

I spoke with a mother yesterday who has a 15 year old son that is a sophomore in high school (same as my oldest daughter.)  When she mentioned that he may take the ACT or SAT in February I was a little shocked.  I realize they can take it as early as the 6th grade [...]

Tennis legend, Andre Agassi committed over 3 decades of his life to becoming the best tennis player in the world and yet, in his book, “Open,” he describes how much he hated tennis.
He didn’t like sports at all…but he HATED tennis!
His father was obsessed with making him the best tennis player in the world:

building a [...]

Just returned home from our trip to San Francisco. Yes it did finally happen and eventually we got to do everything we had planned. ( I’m sure there is another lesson in that…most of the time things work out, even if they are not exactly according to the plan!)
…but that isn’t the topic of [...]

Merry Christmas!
Christmas Day in San Francisco.  Been planning it for months.  Week long family vacation.  For many, San Francisco’s weather in the 50’s isn’t exactly balmy, tropical weather to look forward to.  If you live in the Midwest however its a pretty welcome relief from the freezing temperatures that seem to last half the year.
We’ve [...]

It appears that maybe I’ve been proven wrong!
Shortly after posting my opinion here that money is unlikely to be the primary cause of college dropouts, Public Agenda releases the findings of their survey, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, of more than 600 young adults with SOME college credits.  According to the results [...]

I was talking to my 15 year old daughter last night about some of her interests and possible directions they could take her … music teacher, counselor, working with youth in some manner.  About half way through the conversation I began to realize how I just assume that my own kids will choose career directions [...]