Last night, President Obama gave his State of the Union address. An address that not only describes the condition of the Nation but also permits the President to frame his agenda about those things he believes are National priorities. As I listened intently to the Address, I wondered how many parents have considered the state of your union with your children. Further, I pondered how many parents have an agenda or have ever bothered to outline those things that are priorities for their children’s future.
S.M.A.R.T. Parents
President Obama, Congress and the Government are big on ideas but far too often they are less specific on details. As an example, President Obama reiterated last night, many of the same educational ideas mentioned previously such as expanding preschool, remodeling high school, improving schools’ Internet connectivity and making college more affordable and accessible. But what do those regurgitated words really mean? How will results for the repeated educational priorities actually be achieved? How S.M.A.R.T. is the Educational plan?
As a parent, we simply can’t afford to be as ambiguous about the details of our children’s education as the Government is able to be. Imagine the look you would get if someone asked you what you hoped to do for your children’s future and you answered expand preschool, remodel high school, improve internet connectivity and make college more affordable and accessible. Would anyone even know what you were attempting to do? Does any of that sound like a plan to improve the state of your union with your children?
Fail To Plan, Plan To Fail
All of the aforementioned things the President mentioned would be great outcomes. However, the question is whether there is an actual plan. If in fact there is a plan, the plan lacks the specificity and detail to make it a reality. All of above-mentioned items would be wonderful results for an Educational plan if the plan had specific and measurable details and was developed and executed soundly.
Alas, if children are going to have the educational outcomes and opportunities that parents hope will allow for the realization of the American Dream, parents can’t afford to be vague about our children’s educational plans or dillydally like the Government.
The State Of Your Union
Make certain that you have a real plan or you will be impeding your child’s future. Without an authentic plan, you will be turning your child’s dreams into nightmares.
For the record, expressing the desire for your child to do well is not a plan. After all, how is well measured? What are the specifics for achievement? Who is well measured against? What does well mean anyway?
Expressing a desire that they attend college is not a plan either. What type of college would you like them to attend? Community, Junior, Local, Regional, National, Research or Non-research, Public or Private, Historically Minority or Ivy League?
Make sure you know very early what it will take for your child to attend to college. Don’t wait until your children are in high school. It would be wise to know what is required for the college you desire when they are conceived. Seriously, the more you know and the earlier you know it, the better prepared your children can be and the fewer surprises you can expect during high school. The more informed you can be as a parent, the better chance that your child won’t have to wait and hold out hopes for someone else to craft and execute a S.M.A.R.T. National educational plan.
Let me be perfectly clear, my intent is neither to criticize President Obama, Congress or the Government. My aim is to encourage parents to take the lead and initiative to make sure the state of your children’s education is like the Union – strong.
If we don’t individually and independently plan for the educational future of our children who do you think is going to plan for them?
What is the state of your union with your children? What does your child’s S.M.A.R.T. educational plan look like?