A Letter to Parents and Hackademics

[xcriteria]

This open letter to parents and hackademics is from Lisa Nalbone, Dale Stephens' mom:

A Letter to Parents and Hackademics

Dear Parents and Hackademics:

I often hear from children, of all ages, frustrated about not getting parental support for a gap year, trying self-directed learning, or what I like to call learning beyond school. I hear from parents who are unsure or upset about their child wanting to diverge from the path the parent thinks is right.

I see two issues getting in the way of Hackademics getting what they need and want.

One is an issue with how parents and kids communicate and interact around volatile topics. The second issue is with how we approach the decision making process. Just by virtue of being human, whether kid or parent, we have to fight the tendency to limit our options before we even start addressing what the right decision is.

So, if you need some secret sauce to help you communicate with your parents, understand each other better and “get to yes”, you’re in the right place. And if you have some thorny decisions ahead, read on.

(read more...)

What do you all think? Could this be a useful catalyst for conversation with your parents?

[Trar]

My parents, while they can sometimes be blockheads, have been rather supportive of my quest for alternative education. They've pledged what assistance they can muster when I go to college, but I'm not sure if I will take it. Sometimes they're approachable, but sometimes they're not because they're either busy or busy being assholes, and I'm just glad I'm getting older.

So if I don't expect them to provide much assistance, I don't expect to need to communicate with them much. At least that's my intent. We can communicate if we must. I just don't like them.