Today's technology still amazes me. I spent the last five days serving as a marshal at the Crowne Plaza Invitation at Colonial. If you watch the end of the tournament on TV, yes that was me standing behind the 17th green. Even while on the golf course I could check my email, keep track of the tournament scores and text members of family. The later was helpful since at various times they were on the course and wanted to find me. I've gotten accustomed to the convenience of digital world. As one who used to carry around a Daytimer, I appreciate benefit of having my personal calendar available electronically. I have stopped carrying a Bible when I make my rounds as a hospital chaplain, preferring to use the Bible app on my smart phone. When it comes to research, I can sit at the kitchen table with my laptop. I still read the newspaper for more detailed coverage but most news comes to me immediately via my cell phone.
We should not be surprised at the changes. According to an article recently published by The Pew Research Center it was predictable. More than thirty years ago the Institute for the Future, a silicon Valley think tank, produced a report of the impact of electronic information technologies. What is stunning is how right-on the forecast was. At that time there was no world-wide web. The Internet did not exist but its ancestor, ARPANET, did. Fewer than three hundred host computers, mostly at universities and government agencies, were part of the network.
What were some of the predictions:
A blurring of the lines separating work and home: "The person who works at home via an electronic system is not bound by the eight to five schedule that bind the person who must work with people or machines at a common site," the report notes.
Fragmenting of traditional media: "It is possible to custom design news bulletins limited to only those topics the average householder reads or is interested in."
Privacy concerns: "At the same time that these systems will bring a greatly increased flow of information and services into the home, they will also carry a stream of information out of the home about the preferences and behaviors of the occupants.
Additional forecasts that were on target with things like electronic banking and the availability of
on-demand media. The report also recognized that there would be new kinds of electronic relationships. Decades before Facebook and Twitter, someone knew they were coming.
The bottom line is we should not be surprised at the changes the digital age has brought. We are naïve if we think we can resist change or even deny it's existence. Instead we need to embrace it and view it as a way to relate to each other, especially the younger generation.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Rules are Rules, Even if they are not Enforced Consistently
The students at Duncanville, Texas high school made the news this week. Administrators suspended over a hundred students for violation of the school dress code. Some students protested and one student was so angry he threw a trash can across the school cafeteria. The police were called in to restore order. Police were back at the school the next morning. They turned away students who were in violation of the same code. The students complained that the school administration were not playing fair since they had not enforced the dress code all year. One student commented that the teachers were more concerned about what they were wearing than what they learned. And yes, once again some parents seemed to side with their students, feeling that the enforcement of the rules this late in the year was not fair.
I was a counselor at a high school that had a dress code. Some students still tried to push the envelope. Skirt length for girls and length of hair for boys were common infractions. While most teachers were diligent at enforcing the code, the principal still felt a need to a couple times a year do a school-wide sweep. I don't recall a student being suspended over a dress code violation, but I do remember the complaints from students. Usually the grousing was rooted in the fact that the dress code was not enforced consistently. A student could have worn the same outfit numerous times and not been called on it. Suddenly they were told it was a violation. Still, like for the students in Duncanville, the code had been published. In the case of Lutheran High School of Dallas, it was also printed in the agenda books that every student was required to have with them at all time. In other words; they lived with it.
Rules are a part of life, but they are not always consistently enforced. Suppose the speed limit on a road you normally drive is 35 MPH but traffic always seems to be moving faster, so you typically go with the flow. One day you get pulled over by a police officer. He informs you have you were going 45 MPH. You know you haven't done anything different than you normally do, but you also know the speed limit. Telling the officer, "It isn't fair because you have done it that way before," will not fly. The reality is rules are rules, whether they are dress codes or speed limits.
That is a value we need to pass on to the next generation and the best way is to model it.
I was a counselor at a high school that had a dress code. Some students still tried to push the envelope. Skirt length for girls and length of hair for boys were common infractions. While most teachers were diligent at enforcing the code, the principal still felt a need to a couple times a year do a school-wide sweep. I don't recall a student being suspended over a dress code violation, but I do remember the complaints from students. Usually the grousing was rooted in the fact that the dress code was not enforced consistently. A student could have worn the same outfit numerous times and not been called on it. Suddenly they were told it was a violation. Still, like for the students in Duncanville, the code had been published. In the case of Lutheran High School of Dallas, it was also printed in the agenda books that every student was required to have with them at all time. In other words; they lived with it.
Rules are a part of life, but they are not always consistently enforced. Suppose the speed limit on a road you normally drive is 35 MPH but traffic always seems to be moving faster, so you typically go with the flow. One day you get pulled over by a police officer. He informs you have you were going 45 MPH. You know you haven't done anything different than you normally do, but you also know the speed limit. Telling the officer, "It isn't fair because you have done it that way before," will not fly. The reality is rules are rules, whether they are dress codes or speed limits.
That is a value we need to pass on to the next generation and the best way is to model it.
Monday, May 12, 2014
A Time of Celebration and Anxiety
It has been a few years since I stepped away from my job as a high school counselor, but I still have distinct memories of this time of year. It was a melancholy time as we got ready to launch seniors, some of whom I had invested a lot of time in. It was also a stressful time. There is something about the formula of spring weather, the anticipation of freedom and young hormones that puts kids at risk. When you add in the availability of alcohol at certain graduation and end of the year parties, you have a volatile mix.
In some way, this is nothing new. We might even right it off as part of the "right of passage." This is the fiftieth anniversary of my high school graduation and I remember the parties. I recall one friend laughing about his drive home in an alcohol stupor from one such event. "I don't recall anything about driving home," he bragged. "It was quite a party!" At least my friend and the rest of my classmates, self included, survived that experience. Last week a couple of DFW area teens did not. In both cases alcohol and speed were involved. I could only shake my head and silently grieve for the families involved.
No matter what the age or circumstance, we are always parents to the children who grow in our homes. I was reminded of that again yesterday as we gathered with our family. There are eleven of us now, Peter, Mark and Katie, plus their spouses and the three grandsons. I shifted back into the role of dad. Listening, loving, supporting and offering some insights.
That should especially be the case if we have teenagers in our homes. We need to be honest about the dangers of at-risk behaviors. We need to confront the issue of alcohol and driving. It's part of our responsibility.
Listen to them and be especially attuned to warning signs of at-risk behavior.
Love them and remind them of how much you are concerned about their safety and well-being.
Support them in all of their endeavors.
Share your insights when it comes to at-risk behavior.
It's impossible to pass the torch of faith and values when we don't even have them in our lives to hug. When you add alcohol to the formula of spring weather, freedom and young hormones, you have a deadly mix.
In some way, this is nothing new. We might even right it off as part of the "right of passage." This is the fiftieth anniversary of my high school graduation and I remember the parties. I recall one friend laughing about his drive home in an alcohol stupor from one such event. "I don't recall anything about driving home," he bragged. "It was quite a party!" At least my friend and the rest of my classmates, self included, survived that experience. Last week a couple of DFW area teens did not. In both cases alcohol and speed were involved. I could only shake my head and silently grieve for the families involved.
No matter what the age or circumstance, we are always parents to the children who grow in our homes. I was reminded of that again yesterday as we gathered with our family. There are eleven of us now, Peter, Mark and Katie, plus their spouses and the three grandsons. I shifted back into the role of dad. Listening, loving, supporting and offering some insights.
That should especially be the case if we have teenagers in our homes. We need to be honest about the dangers of at-risk behaviors. We need to confront the issue of alcohol and driving. It's part of our responsibility.
Listen to them and be especially attuned to warning signs of at-risk behavior.
Love them and remind them of how much you are concerned about their safety and well-being.
Support them in all of their endeavors.
Share your insights when it comes to at-risk behavior.
It's impossible to pass the torch of faith and values when we don't even have them in our lives to hug. When you add alcohol to the formula of spring weather, freedom and young hormones, you have a deadly mix.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
The Forgotten Unemployed.
We went out to dinner with our son Mark, and his wife Kristen one night last week. It was a belated celebration of Barb's birthday. Her favorite restaurant is Olive Garden, so that is where we found ourselves. Our waitress was a perky young lady who definitely had the gift of hospitality. She not only took care of us but was engaging and friendly. Toward the end of the evening I complemented her on her work. "How long have you been doing this?" I asked. She related that she had worked for Olive Garden for eight years. She had been a hostess at another location and then transferred to her current job. She went on to say that her real passion was art, and had earned a double Master's degree. She also worked part-time teaching art at a local college. She noted that she enjoyed teaching but it was difficult teaching as an adjunct because you never what you were going to be teaching. Her passion is photography. I could sense the frustration in her voice.
The young lady is typical of many millennials. They often can't find jobs in their field of study. The current unemployment rate among millennials is 15.5%, almost double the national average. Many young adults are like our waitress friend; she could find work but it wasn't in her area of study. The level of satisfaction was lacking. She loved art history, not waiting on tables. We might credit some of this to college graduates that have degrees in areas of study that are not real marketable, like psychology or philosophy. Some experts have pointed out that many millennials lack soft job skills, making them less desirable candidates. I have met many young people, like the waitress, who have the social skills but still can't find jobs.
I am sure that our waitress friend will be just fine. She has a positive attitude and great social skills, but what about others who lack soft skills? I guess that is where all of us who do have some life experience under our belts come in. It begins by helping young people, especially those who still live at home, to develop social skills. In the case of college graduates who have not found their niche, it might mean mentoring and encouraging them. It also might be an opportunity for ministry. I know some churches that have support groups for unemployed professionals, but why not a similar ministry to millennials. It might be an opportunity for retired professionals to mentor young people. Through the experience they also might experience the love of Jesus.
The young lady is typical of many millennials. They often can't find jobs in their field of study. The current unemployment rate among millennials is 15.5%, almost double the national average. Many young adults are like our waitress friend; she could find work but it wasn't in her area of study. The level of satisfaction was lacking. She loved art history, not waiting on tables. We might credit some of this to college graduates that have degrees in areas of study that are not real marketable, like psychology or philosophy. Some experts have pointed out that many millennials lack soft job skills, making them less desirable candidates. I have met many young people, like the waitress, who have the social skills but still can't find jobs.
I am sure that our waitress friend will be just fine. She has a positive attitude and great social skills, but what about others who lack soft skills? I guess that is where all of us who do have some life experience under our belts come in. It begins by helping young people, especially those who still live at home, to develop social skills. In the case of college graduates who have not found their niche, it might mean mentoring and encouraging them. It also might be an opportunity for ministry. I know some churches that have support groups for unemployed professionals, but why not a similar ministry to millennials. It might be an opportunity for retired professionals to mentor young people. Through the experience they also might experience the love of Jesus.
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