January 12, 2016

Who Is Next?

Growing up as an only child I always wanted a sibling, and to be honest I never thought about whether I wanted an older brother or a younger sister or an older sister or a younger brother. Looking back, I would have loved an older sister, but at the time I probably would have preferred a younger brother. But it doesn’t matter because I didn’t have either.

It was just me myself and I, and while that felt a bit lonely and quiet at times, now that I am a father of two, I am rethinking the value of having a sibling. I am betting that after the eighteen years together they will form some kind of bond that does not include constant yelling and abusing each. Don’t get me wrong. They do have their moments of super cute loving connectivity, but more often than not they are at each others' throats.

The other night I had to have a talk to Kaia about how she would feel, if she had an older sister who never complimented her and argued with her about everything she did and constantly reminded her how much better she is then her at everything.

Constantly being judged and yelled at has to have some kind of psychological toll, or maybe it is this sibling abuse from Kaia that is making Skyelar into such a confident badass.

Here’s to hoping that Kaia learns to tone down the vitriol and be a bit more loving to her baby sister.

...

The fifteen or so kids we work with on Off Tangent, our first time middle school literary magazine, might be one of the best groups of kids I’ve ever worded with.They are funny, smart, dedicated, passionate and hardworking.  They never miss meetings and when they are there they work their butts off from start to finish.

We are a few weeks away from publishing our first issue and we are very excited. Let’s hope it all comes together in the end and we create a powerful piece of art. Which, by the way, has been our goal from day one.

...

The death of David Bowie has got me thinking about aging icons. We might be in the age when they all start dying soon. And what has me worried is that there might not be too many culture shaking icons coming up in the next generation.

I am sure every cranky old fogey like myself thinks like this about his generation, but let’s take a look at who we got that will shortly expire and consider who might fill the shoes. I am talking about icons are across music and film and the arts, but I will focus on music.

The two icons I am the most nervous about losing soon are Bob Dylan and Neil Young. But the list is endless: living members of The Beatles, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Paul Simon, David Gilmore and Roger Waters, and so many more.

And the question I am also worried about is who is next? Who in the up and coming generation has icon/legend potential? I can’t think of one rock band that is younger than me that I can even name, let alone consider a legend in the making.

Lessons Learned:

  • The right group of kids can do anything. 
  • Sibling relationships are complex and need parental guidance. 
  • We need to foster the next generation of legends. 



  1. Share a story about a group of kids that have impressed you. 
  2. Share a story about your kids and/or your siblings. 
  3. Who do you see coming up the ranks? 
  4. Which icon are you most nervous to lose in the coming years? 


No comments:

Post a Comment