Mr. Sidoti's Blog

All except those who enjoy skiing and other winter activities have welcomed the unseasonably warm end to January. Our students were able to complete their exams without weather related interruptions and the second semester is underway. February and March tend to be those winter “dog days.” The winter sports are winding down, underclassmen are looking at scheduling classes for next school year, and seniors are scrambling to insure a positive graduation experience. Everyone, it seems, is looking to the future. I have resurrected some thoughts from the past, but with a fresh perspective, building on last month’s Branching Out theme.

Interestingly, “planning” is difficult for many of us. Our society reinforces the “here and now” rather than long term goal setting. Just think about “twittering” for example. This is especially evident when working with young people who embrace continuous and immediate communications. Past research has found that, given the choice of immediate achievement in a shallow task versus planning and working toward achievement of a more complex and rewarding endeavor, the tendency is for students to embrace the short term. For those of us working with young people, there is no surprise here. I believe, however, the key word in the finding is “tendency.” This suggests something else may impact the decision, making long-term planning an option for a young person.

In watching many of our student-driven leadership workshops and service projects, I am struck by the quality of planning students do to insure a successful outcome. This may be over many months. I have watched sophomores map out their high school and college programs, and diligently keep to their plan, eventually securing a job in their planned profession. I have watched a young entrepreneur plan and start a business while in high school, grow that business after graduation, and subsequently end up, where he planned, retired by the age of forty! While the examples are different, it does reinforce the concept that, given the right set of circumstances, young people can look to the future and plan accordingly. In each case the common denominator was the influence of an adult, be it a teacher, a parent, or a friend.

Planning takes hard work and the use of time. Young people need to see a value to their efforts, especially knowing that the outcome is some time in the future. We have a responsibility to help students understand the balance between instant gratification and long-term goal attainment. Some achievements are instantaneous and positive, but should not be confused with larger, more meaningful and rich experiences that will help a young person define their life. I believe students intuitively understand this, but get derailed when life hits them square in the face. A disintegrating home life, drug and alcohol abuse, inappropriate sexual activity, a death of a loved one, or a significant crisis can trigger a reckless abandonment of planning for the future, even closing some doors permanently to opportunities. “Life” does, indeed, happen, but can we build constructs to overcome these obstacles to success? Somehow we need to help young people “live for today” in a way that “builds for tomorrow.” We need to help them build a personal framework for perseverance in pursuit of their dreams. The “here and now” is gone in the blink of an eye, but their future lies before them!

As these winter dog days continue, let us use this time to open dialogue with our kids to help them recognize their dreams, to help them plan a course of action to achieve their goals, and to guide their daily actions to help avoid barriers to their future success!

Let’s be honest and open about our own plans, sharing our successes as well as dreams unrealized. We have great insights that may help them avoid unforeseen pitfalls or smooth a path to quicker success. Most importantly, let’s remind them how much we care about them and support their dreams. What a great way to brighten up these winter days!