A Pirate Turns 16

Aargh. The youngest pirate on the ship turns 16 Sunday! Too young to pilage and plunder, too old to hang out with pops. (Sorry to Ian Anderson and the boys of Jethro Tull for desecrating their line). Yep, the boy hits the big 16 this week. Been doing that driving thing but not quite ready to take the helm. Left Catholic confinement (sorry to Jimmy for stealing the line) at the end of Freshmen year and moved back mainstream. Doing a lot better! While Skully has nothing against Catholics or Catholic schools, the school he attended last year just plain sucked. Had nothing to do with the religion aspect, had everything to do with misguided school administration and really really arrogant teachers. Now, I don't mind forking over $9 grand for the school year, what I do mind is not having any say in how the people I give my money provide me with value. There's not a pirate on the high seas that didnt understand that they were simply taking something for nothing. At least they were honest. Compare that with the school he went to last year. They claimed to care about the students... ha ha ha!

Check this out: They have a policy that actually prevents teachers and administrators from meeting with parents unless the child is present. Interesting concept... which doesn't make it right.

Education in this country is a mess. An absolute mess. We current rank way way down in math and sciences and we're worried that we aren't producing enough engineers. So what! What about exploring what's in the hearts of the kids we are raising and help set them up for success? Why don't we find out what turns them on and find ways to make this country great again by encouraging children's strengths instead of trying to create science, math and engineering wizards! What we need isn't more math/science/engineers... what we need are more passionate people who do the work they love! Who find ways (with our help and encouragement) to follow their passion. Maybe what we will end up with is a generation that cares more about passionately contributing their talents and desires to society vs. encouraging corporate greed. Nah... that's just foolish! After all, look at our current economy; clearly we need more young people that only care about the money they make, I mean, after all, that's been working real well as of late.

Let's start a revolution! A revolution that encourages COURAGEOUS LIVING! Living lives of passion and adventure. Living lives that give back (in financial and heart) to our great country. Living lives that excite the next generation to strive to follow their dreams. WE NEED MORE DREAMERS! The world is already flat according to Mr. Friedman (now, it's apparently, flat, hot and overcrowded he says), so if we need more engineers, what's wrong with them coming from India? Our greatest export skill can be passion! Japan has certainly proven that you can raise the test scores with year round, one-size-fits-all, militant education. And what do they have to show for it? A new generation that has no heart for doing anything! Their young people lack drive - not because of any racial issues; solely because they have never been afforded the opportunity to be creators. Passionate people create things. New ways to do things. New and innovative ways.

My gift to my 16 year old won't be a car. It won't be a week at math camp. It won't be some "luxury" purchase... then again, maybe it will be the greatest luxury gift of all; the luxury of knowing that his captain and first mate will encourage him to discover his dreams.