A Parent's Letter to My Children in School

To my children and grandchildren... With your focus on education, I often find myself thinking about how much the world has changed since I was in your shoes. The world is now a much "smaller" place--people of all cultures can communicate and travel with ease. You face great challenges today...just as I did...just as my parents before me. These words of advice might be helpful:

• Recognize that the only limits you face are those you set for yourselfnn
• Be the BEST that you can benn
• Recognize that YOU are responsible for your successes and failuresnn
• You must earn your waynn
• Strive for excellence...not perfectionnn
• See the glass as half-full, rather than seeing it as half-emptynn
• Focus on positives, rather than on negativesnn
• Look to praise, rather than to criticizenn
• Look for ways to succeed, rather than excuses to failnn
• Commit yourself to constant improvementnn
• Understand how important education is to successnn
• School is the key. Technology rules. You need better skills to succeednn
• Learn what is being taught, but most importantly, learn "how" to learnnn
• Develop other information sources to verify, or challenge, what you are being taught. "History" is routinely twisted or rewritten to support a particular point of view. Get other ideasnn
• Treat teachers, administrators, and fellow students as you would like to be treatednn
• Be the first to say "Hello"nn
• Develop your mind in school, but also develop other skills and interests, including music, art, and physical fitness. This is where teamwork develops its rootsnn
• Be a well-rounded personnn
• Resist taking "easy" classesnn
• Dig into math, the sciences, and computers. These form the technical foundation for future successnn
• Study languagenn
• Speak and write English correctlynn
• Appreciate other cultures by learning another languagenn
• Be honest in your approach to learningnn
• Resist the temptation to cheat--you only hurt yourselfnn
• Develop a keen interest in the outside worldnn
• Pay attention to the "news." The "real" world can be very different from the student world you live in todaynn
• Avoid the temptations of alcohol, smoking, drugs, gangs, and irresponsible personal behaviornn
• Understand the steps you take today have lifelong implicationsnn
• Choose your friends wiselynn
• Do what you can to make a teacher's job easier, not harder. Teaching is one of the most important, most difficult, and most underpaid professions in the worldnn
• Participate--but don't be a pain!
• Be a friend to all. Extend a hand of friendship to all other students, regardless of race, creed, or colornn
• Make a special effort to be a friend to those less fortunate than younn
• As you mature and face new challenges, don't hesitate to discuss with me what is on your mind. You might learn from the mistakes of othersnn
• Recognize how LUCKY you are to live and be educated in this great country. People from around the world are dying every day trying to get INTO this country...not outnn
• Don't forget to have fun!!
• School can be a great time in your lifenn
• Experience itnn
• Live itnn
• Enjoy itn

Many of these suggestions will be useful throughout your life--learn them well. I wish you the greatest success in your efforts and hope you find school both rewarding and enjoyable. Love, Dad/Grandpa