My daughter is preparing to enter high school this fall and this time is stressful to say the least. I am not overwhelmed by what seems to be a rapid evolution from childhood to young adulthood. Every year seems to pass more quickly than the last and I am sure that we will be at her high school graduation in what will seem like only a few months from now. She (and her brother) must go to college, I don't really care what they study but I think they need a degree as a safety net and the time they spend in college is a valuable opportunity for them to explore the world, different ideas, cultures, etc. I believe and hope that being well rounded, well read, intellectually curious and socially capable people will help them be successful and happy adults. That is my goal for them at least.
In the meantime, I purchase every college application and ranking guide that is published and have discussed their interests and how those interests can be translated in to a profession with them. Our lives are filled with other things but I am raising adults not (perpetual) children. Childhood should be enjoyed but it such a short span of their lives and is the foundation that the rest of their lives are built upon.
There are a couple of things that I came across that have given me pause in what I have told them. The world seems to be positioned on quicksand and is changing in nuanced but substantial ways. I guess I can only do my best and leave the rest for them to work out with their therapists (that they will undoubtably need to make sense of my help).
Sources of Disturbance:
The May 25, 2009 edition of Time Magazine's cover story titled "The Future of Work" ("Throw away the briefcase: you're not going to the office. You can kiss your benefits goodbye too. And your new boss won't look much like your old one. There's no longer a ladder, and you may never get to retire, but there's a world of opportunity if you figure out a new path.") Whew! After reading the title I thought I might need to move into a tent city that has free wi-fi. The article is somewhat comforting and offers suggestions on how to maneuver through.........everything.
"Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives" by John Palfrey discusses the significant divide between baby boomers and those born in 1980 and after (the digital natives). The greatness of the divide isn't only attributed to normal generational differences but to pervasive use of technology and all that it has brought with it for the younger generation.
