Motherly Advice to Her Children
With another graduation season upon us, I was reflecting my own
children’s high school graduations in 1997, 2001 and 2007. Below is a summary of the advice I have
given each of them as they found their way.
I hope it helps another parent and/or child as a new generation enters
into young adulthood. Enjoy!
To my Child:
High school is now behind you, and you are full of potential
with limitless possibilities in your future.
I believe in you and will always be here to support you as you make
decisions related to your future education/training or employment opportunities.
However, as your parent, I would not be doing my job if I didn`t
encourage you but also provide humbling facts about life which I hope will help
you succeed, establish good work habits, and be a positive contribution
wherever you go. In short, the real world of making a living doesn’t look
like high school.
Here they are, and not in any particular order:
1) When you land a job, be grateful. It doesn`t
matter what the job is, be grateful. Your ability to earn income, any
income, is something denied so many around the world. Never take for granted
your ability to secure a job and make money.
2) Show respect for your employer, the customers you serve, your
co-workers, and yourself by paying attention to your appearance. It matters.
Your boss knows the difference between clothes that have originated from a
hanger in your closet and your bedroom floor.
One more thing: flannel pajama bottoms do not qualify as acceptable work
clothes. Leave that part of your high
school memories on your bedroom floor for ol’ times sake if you want.
3) Calling off work 5 minutes before starting your shift is
a dead give-away that you just woke up and a) can`t make it to work on time, or
b) are feeling the effects of poor decisions from the previous night.
Either way, it is bad judgement and sends a message to your boss that you are
unreliable. Of course, there are times when you will be sick, and you
generally know that long before you are scheduled to work. Give notice as
quickly as you can, knowing that your absence is causing a hardship to your
boss and your co-workers.
4) With respect to being sick, use discernment on when to miss
work. As we enter adulthood, we must persevere through headaches, tummy
aches, left-overs from poor decisions the night before, allergies, etc.
Anything short of bodily fluids violently exiting the body and a roaring temperature
probably means you can get up and go to work. Oh, and don`t be a martyr
when you get to work and are not feeling well. There are millions of people
with no choice today but to go to work. If they don`t, their kids don`t
eat, or their house payment doesn`t get made. High school provided
liberties on sick days: the real world does not.
5) If your boss seeks employees to work extra hours, seize the
opportunity. Your boss will appreciate it. There are a few good reasons that some employees may have
for not being available for working extra hours, such as kids at home, caring for
aging parents, another job commitment, or school studies. If none of the
above applies to you, accept extra hours with gratitude.
6) Do not accept a position and then become entitled. Your employer is not responsible for your
personal happiness. You agreed to work
the hours that were set forth for the money that was offered. If you display good work ethics and a
willingness to be a positive part of the company’s community then you can
expect to be rewarded. It might have
been cool in high school to complain about the teachers and staff. Complaining about your job, your boss, your
company = not cool.
7) Be Switzerland. In
other words, do not be the extreme about anything.
Always angry, always tired, always easily offended, always goofing off,
always gossiping, or always unpredictable means your boss cannot rely on you to
be a stable worker. Assess how you are
viewed by your co-workers, your boss and customers. If it isn’t how you want to be perceived,
then change it. It is a sign of maturity
when we strive to strengthen our character.
8) It is perfectly fine to want to consider other job
opportunities. However, remember this:
It is easier to get a job when you have a job.
Don’t ask me why. It just
is. It is also never cool to burn
bridges by walking off of a job with no notice.
2 weeks’ notice minimum with a good work record increases the likelihood
that you are leaving in good standing. Also,
you will be humbled by how many times former bosses, co-workers, etc. come back
into your life.
Burning bridges = not
cool.
Lastly, there are hurting people in the world who aim to hurt
other people. These people may be your
boss or your co-workers, and they can inflict serious injustices, harassment
and immoral behavior. None of the above
excuses a breakdown in moral character or behavior that causes discrimination
or a toxic work environment. Seek advice
from me or others whose opinions you respect.
We will help you discern the appropriate measures to leave that
situation as quickly and as easily as you can.
I hope you do not have to experience such hardships. But if you do, just know that you have a
loyal camp who support you, love you, and will help you come out of challenging
situations stronger and more capable of facing future struggles.
So, again, congrats on your high school graduation. Welcome to life. I love you, Mom
#Family #Parenting #Highschool #Graduation #Loving #Living
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