by Rupe | Apr 27, 2015 | Mentoring
The road to college can be a rocky one. Between SATs, ACTs, tough courses, teacher recommendations, a cutthroat pool of applicants, extracurriculars, college essays, and everything in between, it’s an exhausting journey. So what should you do if your child says she doesn’t want to take the trip? First, take a deep breath. As a parent it’s natural to want the best for your child. And for many parents, college is more than the best choice; it’s the only choice. But before you tell your child she’s grounded for the rest of her life, consider the cold hard facts: College may seem like the ticket to success, but getting your kid there is only half the battle. It’s completion that matters. And only 2 out of 5 students who enter a public four-year college manage to snag a degree within five years. For two-year colleges, the graduation rate is even more abysmal (28.9% in 2007). While it’s taking many students more than five years to graduate, many students aren’t graduating at all—nearly 30% of all students who enter college don’t return for their sophomore year. That hurts. Because the cost of college is anything but cheap. According to The College Board, this year’s average price at a 4-year private college is a whopping $23,712 per year. Public 4-year colleges rang in this year at $6,185 per year, and public 2-year colleges at $2,361 per year.
Source: When Your Child Says No to College | Education.com
by Rupe | Dec 18, 2014 | Mentoring
Networking is one of the most challenging skills you may have to learn in the world of business. It can be an awkward experience, having the attention of a group of strangers focused on you, and trying to make a good first impression.
It’s an important moment. The person opposite you might be someone who could make or break your career. If you make a good impression, he or she might be able to refer your next big client, or have the influence to help you land that next big contract. Continue reading…
by Rupe | Jul 4, 2013 | Inspiration, Mentoring
You can be anything you want to be! – This is one of the most trite statements and nearly every adult says it to every child. Mostly, it sets kids up for unrealistic expectations. Because, frankly, most kids just want to be famous. And most will not even be internet-famous. The reality is that you can be anything you want to beonly if you have incredible focus, determination, perseverance, luck, connections,chutzpah, a positive attitude, a giving spirit, luck, people skills, the right connections, clarity in defining success, and dozens of other things (suggestions welcome).
Winning a fight doesn’t end it. Only a negotiated solution can provide a lasting peace. When power or authority are used to dominate another, it creates a grudge.
When your explanation simplifies something to make it understandable,
people are more impressed than if it were “too complicated to explain”,
especially when it is.
Don’t “Try Harder”. Often, the act of “trying harder” forces you to focus on immediate outcomes, rather than the big picture. Sometimes, only “trying softer” will do. This is especially true if you’re trying to win someone over to your way of thinking. Trying harder will most likely drive them further away.
Failure is necessary and even desirable.
It definitely sounds counterintuitive, but if you’re not failing, it means you’re not trying hard enough or setting high enough goals for yourself. Nothing important gets done without making mistakes until it gets done better and—hopefully, eventually—right.
Meetings are terrible venues in which to pitch your ideas. Do the pitching informally, so that you have a chance to improve your ideas, confirm your concerns, strengthen your argument–or find out you’re wrong. Don’t bring your idea to a meeting until you have good reason to believe it’ll survive the discussion that follows.
Thinking about death is not depressing.
At first, it seems as though only depressed people are preoccupied with death or that thinking about the inevitable end is a way to become depressed. This may be so for those who are already depressed, but I maintain that reflecting on mortality is a good way to stay cheerful.
By thinking about death, you are faced with the idea of your life as a whole, and of the legacy you may leave either physically or in your influence on those around you. You remind yourself of your fundamental values, rather than being carried from moment to moment in reactive thinking or pleasure seeking. If you think about your life as a whole, it’s easier to get perspective on issues that seem to loom large, or to move away from destructive patterns.
If you’re wrong, admit it as soon as you realise. It’s a sign of character and intelligence. Let the person who corrected know you’re thankful, and that you’re appreciative of their input.
See more at – Quora
by Rupe | Dec 19, 2011 | Health-Wellness-Sex, Mentoring
The evidence of America’s obesity epidemic is all around us. But the problem is particularly acute among African-American women.
About half of African-American women in the U.S. are obese, compared to 30 percent of white women. Black women not only carry more weight, but they start piling on extra pounds years before their white counterparts.
So when does it begin, this excess and unhealthful weight? Research suggests the problem starts early, and it may have a lot to do with when girls give up regular exercise.
Source: NPR
My Comments:
O boy…this is one that is near and dear to my heart and falls squarely in my lap. Â As father of a little Nubian Princess, I have to really keep a vigilant watch for this. Â My daughter, Cheyenne, is the consumate girly-girl. Â She likes to dress up and the slightest idea of exertion sends her in the opposite direction. Â Being someone who is very health conscious, I have to make sure I set the proper example for this little girl; it is not as if she won’t have enough challenges in life to contend with already.
by Rupe | Sep 17, 2011 | Mentoring
Babies may look helpless, but as soon as they come into the world, they’re able to do a number of important things. They can recognize faces and moving objects. They’re attracted to language. And from very early on, they can differentiate their mother from other humans.
“They really come equipped to learn about the world in a way that wasn’t appreciated until recently,” says neuroscientist Sandra Aamodt. “It took scientists a long time to realize that their brains are doing some very complicated things.”
Aamodt and fellow neuroscientist Sam Wang explain how the human brain develops from infancy to adolescence in their new book, Welcome to Your Child’s Brain. The two researchers also offer tips for parents to help their children eat their spinach, learn their ABCs and navigate elementary school.
Click source link to continue…
Source: NPR
My Comment:
Interesting article.Â
by Rupe | Aug 6, 2011 | Mentoring, Reflections
Here are the top mistakes parents make with their teens and tweens, and how to avoid them.
Things aren’t the way they used to be. Your 12-year-old no longer comes to you first when she feels hurt or disappointed. When your son misses curfew — again — the time-out corner that used to work wonders is now simply, lame. As your child grows into adolescence, you need to adapt your tried-and-true parenting skills to a rapidly changing world.
As tempting as it might seem, don’t throw away everything you know about your child — or yourself as a parent. Your teenager may seem like a stranger in your home, but behind the slammed doors and mood swings, she is still your child. You will face many unknowns in the years ahead. What you can expect is that your limits will be tested and your patience will, at times, wear thin. Here are the top mistakes parents make with their teens and tweens, and how to avoid them.
My Comments:
I can’t believe that my son is getting older and is now in his tween years.  In a couple of week he will be 12 years old…oh boy! it seemed as if it were yesterday when I first held him in my arms.  That tiny bundle of joy that brought so much love to my heart.  I love him so much.  I only hope that I can be a worthy parent to guide him toward a good path in life.  To be a strong, responsible, caring and truthful man.  I ask for understanding from the Most High…I ask for  guidance.
Source: WebMD (Joanne Barker)
