Keeping it Simple (KISBYTO): Rules

Sunday, July 7, 2013

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCHOOL AND LIFE

By Diane Forrest

I remember once getting an email about a speech given by Bill Gates at a High School graduation ceremony. It went like this:

Rule 1: Life is not fair -- get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping -- they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Later I learned that Bill Gates is not responsible for this, however the context is still beneficial no matter who said it. When I was in school one of my favorite things was grading on the curve. That meant that my grades would be higher and my parents would be happier with me. It took me a while to realize that my teacher wasn’t doing me any favors. Making my grades higher didn't make me any smarter, and didn't teach me any more.

These days I try to learn something new every day. When I was younger I thought I had all the answers, now I realize I don’t even know all the questions!! Never stop learning, there is always something new and improved out there. What are some of the things you have learned, as you have gotten older and wiser?

Monday, November 19, 2012

National Teen Don’t Text and Drive Week – 2012

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By Terry Orr

WHAT IS DISTRACTED DRIVING?

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include:

Texting
Using a cell phone or smartphone
Eating and drinking
Talking to passengers
Grooming
Reading, including maps
Using a navigation system
Watching a video
Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player

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The two that scare me are grooming (read make-up) talking on the cell phone while driving and smoking. When I see the last one, I pull over and get out of their way.

Here is some good advice from Washington Accident Books.

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Parental influence effects the way teens drive more than anything else so make sure you are setting the right example by following these tips:

Set clear rules, boundaries and expectations but make sure they are fair and reasonable.
Safety is the highest priority so make sure your teen understands the rules of the road. Reinforce responsible behavior by introducing new privileges as their skills develop.
Teens naturally have a need for independence so don’t fight it but instead listen to your them and modify your expectations accordingly to fit their changing circumstances. Reward responsible behavior.
Let your teen know that they can count on your for support because it is important that they feel like they can rely on you. If necessary, let them use you as a scapegoat to get out of uncomfortable or unsafe situations and still save face in front of their friends.
Keep the lines of communication open to help teens make good safety decisions. Make sure you know where they are going and why, and discuss how they will get there and when they will be home. Provide alternatives to allow them to avoid unsafe driving situations and make yourself available if they should need a ride.
Even though they’d deny it, teens are greatly influenced by their parents so it is your job to lead by example. Follow the rules of the road. Don’t speed, always wear a seat belt and don’t talk or text on your cell phone while driving.