Resurrection

Over the past four years, this blog has taken on various forms. For the entire year of 2008, I wrote plenty of entries - it was an election year, a "perfect storm" for a writer and leadership expert. I briefly shifted gears, when I thought I'd use the blog to write about one of my projects that tackles the social politics of boys. What I discovered, though, was that I needed a lot of time to research and write for that project, so blogging about it too, was unrealistic.

During that same time period, I finished the newest book that will join the Building Everyday Leadership portfolio (one for elementary grades; Fall 2012), finishing a MG manuscript (multiple drafts), working with an organization on initial project ideas to design and write a K-6 financial literacy curriculum, and commencing another fiction project.

Plus, parenting three great kids: an almost-teenager who began the process of looking for a middle school; a third-grader who does professional commercials as a hobby (he's seriously entertaining); and a pre-schooler who thinks she just might be turning fourteen next year.

But now I'm ready to resurrect the blog for a different purpose.

During those same two years, I have gained clarity on what and how I want to write. The result is a genre change, moving away from writing solely for the educational market and into writing fiction for kids and teens. Simultaneously, all three of my kids are entering new phases of life, and beyond talking with my close friends and sweet husband, I like writing about these changes.

This blog, therefore, is the place where I'll write about these other worlds that occupy my life and are unrelated to my website, Youthleadership.com, where my brand - personally and professionally - is recognizable in the youth leadership world. On that website, I strive hard to support everyone in that field that's dedicated to preparing the next generation (i.e. every generation) of leaders. I travel to conduct trainings and present at conferences, I correspond with people around the world every day, and my leadership materials are used in multiple classrooms and programs.

And rightly so, my role in that field does not depend on sharing my personal thoughts and insights on anything but leadership.

Writing fiction, however, is different. People want to know me as an author and person, not just as an expert. Fellow writers enjoy reading about and connecting with one another as it relates to our craft. And I'm no different. When I have extra time, I read author and agent blogs, I explore methods for improving my fiction, and I read tons of books.

So, it being spring in Colorado, this seems like a fine time to start something new....Let's see where it goes.

Last Day

On the last day of school, my two boys stepped off the bus. Both looked a bit bedraggled and worse for the wear from a day when not much brain power was exerted. My older was crying. My younger looked happy, but exhausted.

Knowing how competitive my sons are, I assumed my older hurt himself during his class picnic/baseball game.

He shuffled along side me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and collapsed in a heap of tears.

"What's wrong," I whispered. "Did you get hurt in the game?"

"No, no, mom. I'm so sad because all of the sixth graders are leaving and I'm going to miss them so much."

Of course, I thought. That would have been my next question.

Boys

Brothers. Friends. Competitors. Enemies.

I got serious about the Boy Project following a number of intense conversations with parents and educators on the daily friendship dramas of boys. We agreed that boys (sometimes, our own boys) often behave in the same cliquish way as girls. These conversations would naturally shift to talking about the complex and sometimes very nasty, double-secret-probation way boys of all ages dealt with their friends.

Having worked with boys and girls for more than 20 years, it was easy to recognize boy/girl social similarities. Like girls, regardless of who boys are as individuals, each holds a distinct role and position among his circle of friends. Cliques have no gender bias.

Good boys. Naughty boys. Gang members. Teen dads. Athletes. Artists. Performers. Wallflowers. Leaders. Followers. Targets. Bullies. Jokers. Players.

I began talking in depth with boys and parents. I began defining and "ranking" these roles (the same way boys innately rank one another). Whenever I shared my interpretations with boys, they would nod and smile. And agree.

Being a 21st century boy is complicated. More complicated than many people acknowledge.

By listening to boys (and at times, girls who hang out with them) over the years, they've told me about the one thing more complicated than navigating the process of growing up.

It's understanding the unspoken rules and codes of their own social politics.

That's what this project is about.

Shameless Self-Promotion

It's been a LONG time since last posting. But, I'm going to get back on the blog bandwagon one of these days.

In the meantime, I've been busy writing and field-testing this:

http://www.freespirit.com/catalog/item_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=738

My "free time" is spent revising a contemporary middle grade novel and raising three awesome kids.

At some point, a-blogging I'll return.

Boulder Blue Flu

Over the past two weeks, scores of Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) teachers have opted to skip school to protest "unfair" salary proposals for fiscal year 2009/2010.

Seriously.

In this economy, with education reform at the forefront of many minds and people losing jobs left and right, Boulder teachers believe now is the time to execute a sickout?

Seriously.

With two weeks left to the school year, seniors preparing for or taking AP exams and middle school students on the brink of committing to high school or choosing this summer to fall off the deep end, teachers think this is the time to make a statement.

Everyone deserves a fair income and as a former teacher, I think teachers generally earn a pretty fair income. There are plenty of opportunities to add to one's salary through teaching additional courses, taking on leadership positions, completing continuing education and earning "steps" based on education and experience. Sure, some teachers deal with trauma and difficult students or poor administrators or exceptional teaching environments. They likely deserve to get paid more (that is, if they're doing a meaningful job and not just punching the hour clock).

But overwhelmingly, teachers in the Boulder school district aren't dealing with the urban poor or high numbers of drop-outs and students at-risk for falling through the cracks. BVSD boasts some of the highest test scores in the state and some wealthy zip codes to boot. In fact, teachers are complaining that what amounts to about a 6% salary increase (some of which isn't permanent) isn't enough to cover the high cost of living in and around Boulder.

People choosing to live in that area know ahead of time that it's a bit more expensive than other areas of the metropolitan Front Range. Salaries are competitive for the Colorado region and that's something to factor in when choosing the quality of life that comes with the Boulder Valley.

No matter one's profession.

Students shouldn't have their graduation ceremonies marred by the bad behavior of teachers displeased with their union contracts. Students shouldn't be taught, in the last few days before glorious summer vacation, that double talk and temper tantrums are the way to get things done when things aren't going your way.

Does the union really think people believe they have nothing to do with suggesting the sickout, as they've insisted in the media?

Seriously.

If my kids were in BVSD, rather than sending them to school each day to listen to teachers insist they're doing this for the students, I'd allow them their own blue flu.

But my blue flu has no salary requirements. It starts with sunscreen and a bathing suit, and ends in the deep end of a cool, blue pool - the way kids and teachers should really be spending the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Especially when one has a job to come back to, even if the salary is a little less than desired.

Valuing Leadership

What happened to April? And for that matter, where's May going so fast? It's not that there hasn't been plenty of leadership-related material to write about. It's just that I've been busy writing for deadline, volunteering for end-of-year school events, meeting with (not enough!)administrators, teachers and researchers on how to incorporate leadership into the curriculum and just generally being busy.

On the topic of incorporating leadership into the curriculum, here's my advice - just do it.

Kids and teens can make the connection between being a leader and say, learning language arts. They get when the writing prompt is related to leadership - such as, "For today's journal page, write about how you think the world's leaders can work together even in times of crisis." They understand that we want them to grasp their role in believing in and being a leader.

A 3rd grader can write on this topic as phrased; my own 3rd grader has done just that. Leadership questions and answers don't have to be heavy and esoteric or solve the problems of the world. But they can draw from youngsters the insight that is sometimes lost through journalists' analysis of what leaders are doing right or wrong.

With fiscal year 2008/2009 coming to a close for most schools, and budgets being reviewed and approved, do this one thing - add a line item and funding to conduct leadership education from kindergarten 'til high school graduation. The funding need not break the bank, but do teachers and students a favor and place some value on leadership.

Not sure how to do this?

Call me.

I'll give you a professional writing prompt that reiterates the need for leadership education. And it sounds like - what are we doing on a daily basis (especially the 6-8 hours spent at school) to cultivate sustainable leadership attitudes in younger generations?

Millennial Money

A sometime columnist in the Denver Post is complaining again about how Millennials are getting the economic shaft.

T.J. Wihera's contributions to the Post focus on how the work-place and older generations could be more accommodating to his generation. Sometimes he's got some good points; this time though, he loses sight that his perspective presents him as a rather whiny individual. And honestly, not someone I'd like on my payroll because he models the "blame someone else" attitude that seems to be swallowing our nation. How's that for accommodating?

While he does a fine job ticking off the numbers of the national debt in his recent column, he falls short by avoiding a glance in the mirror to evaluate how his own young lifestyle has contributed. Oh right, and making sure you read between the lines that he's a Republican and soooo not to blame for what Obama is doing by trying to snap some sense into the nation.

Yes, the economy stinks.

Yes, people are up in arms at the level of greed and social disregard demonstrated by corporations and banks as they try to dig out.

And yes, the finance structure of the federal government is getting dangerously close to putting Madoff's Ponzi-scheme to shame.

Lots of responsible folks should be peeved at the amount of money being spent to "rescue" the nation from a widely-embraced American lifestyle - where what you want is what you get...when you want it. But really, I find it hard to accept that Millennials believe the money being spent is their money and that it's being spent before they get a chance to earn it.

How about those between 35 and 60 years-old, who've been working hard for the past fifteen to twenty years only to find out that their already-earned money is bailing-out others.

Or the generation between 60 and 85, who must now move in with their kids and heaven-forbid, their Millennial grandchildren, because there's no money to live on as the stock market sinks and social security benefits (for which, by the way, they already paid) shrink.

I hope your grand kids are a lot more forgiving than T.J.

A fraction of the Millennial population has actually been in the workforce for more than five years; Wihera included. The majority are still living with mom and dad, spending mom and dad's money, or if they're in college, possibly attending with the help of mom and dad or say, the federal government student loan program.

Hmmm T.J., at 22-years-old, where does that put you, with your small cadre of brief retail and restaurant jobs (that you don't hesitate to complain about)?

Do you declare all of your tips so your taxes are accurate?

Did you rely at all on federal loans or work-study to get through college? Or mom and dad?

Do you forgo the newest gadgets and toys - after-all, we hear how technologically savvy and hip this generation is?

Do you live simply and within your budget? How about your friends?

I've written it before; I'm writing it again - someone's entitlement is showing.

Rather than blame others for the state of the union and who's spending all "his" money, Wihera and his generation should plan on hunkering down with real jobs, living more simply and contributing to - not eviscerating - the recovery of the U.S. economy.