LovePrints - Dear Parents

Great parents make great decisions. Great decisions make great parents. The new school year is here, and with the new year is an opportunity to assist our young people in making this a successful one. Yes, success is relative to the goal, and I will offer a few suggestions here to help determine the goal, achieve the goal, and allow for a more connected, agreeable year academically for everyone.

Sit with your young people and determine what the goals are academically for the year. Some mistakes are made in making the grades the goal, but grades are the result, not the goal. Grades are the result of goals, planning, and effort. Grades are the result of goals made, committed to, and followed through.

Goal-Introductions between parent and teachers

Let the teachers know who you are, how to reach you, when to reach you, and give them the freedom to do what they do best for your young person. It can be a letter, call, email, text or face to face. This is a statement of commitment to your young person, and the teacher. One more post in the fence. One more boundary. One more connection.

Goal-Introduce yourself to your young person. Again.

I know, I know. Your kids know you. And, you know them. Take a few moments to remind them that you are there, you care, they matter, and that you love them enough to get on the same page with them before the chaos can exist. Let them know what you went through, reassure them of their ability to do well, and then agree on how you will approach the coming school year and all of its issues and concerns. Talk to them about homework, social media, friends, siblings, and bullying. Yes, talk to them about not being a bully, not allowing bullying, and what to do if bullied. Talk to them about classroom behavior, hallway behavior, and even locker room behavior. Talk to them about dealing with teachers, administrators, and other parents. Talk to them about safety concerns, how to deal with emergencies, and defining what an emergency really is. Where to go, who to call, what number to call, what to do if you can not be reached, and how to get back and forth from school.

Goal-homework

This is a hole that needs to be quickly and proactively filled. Do this immediately. Figure out how you will know homework assignments given. Determine a plan for scheduling big projects being handled, a plan for following up with each other when assigned, when worked on, when work is done, and how it went. Make a point to check in weekly with the student and the teacher. This prevents 23^rd hour scrambling to get projects done, getting projects handed in, or even running last minute for items needed, researching done, or dropping off at school on the designated due date. Make a plan for the daily assignments due today, tomorrow, and this week. Settle into a pattern of following up and knowing current standing with each class. NO surprises if we are always aware and connected.

Goal- Time management

Each student has 168 hours to get done whatever is scheduled for them. Each student has the same 168 hours. The 4.0 + gpa student has the same 168 as the 1.5 – gpa student. It is what they do with that 168 that determines that gpa number. Having a study plan will make it easier to succeed, and will help the student, teacher, parent, and coach understand where time is spent, where to find more time, and what areas require more time. The greatest excuse for academic failure is “I do not have enough time”. The truth is simply “What are you doing with your time?” Manage your time, schedule your time, check in, and stay connected to where your time is spent. Spend it wisely, and be aware of it.

Goal- love

Love daily. Love often. Love loudly. Love unconditionally. Love to boundary if needed, love to guide in advance, and love to make sure that they know that they matter. While you are at it, love the teachers too. They deserve it, and will appreciate it.

If you need a study plan, there is a plan on www.loveprints.us under 168 plan. It details the weekly check in and connections between student, teacher, parents, and coaches. It is a complete plan for time management, updates, and forward goal setting.

http://loveprints.us/welcome-parents/

Great parents make great decisions. Great decisions make great parents.

I hope this helps. Good luck in your decisions.

Parents. One word. Two letters. No.

Great people make great parents. Great parents make great people.

Love in Action. Action in love.

No. N. O. Two letters. One word. Powerful. The answer to several questions, and maybe the greatest thing a parent can say to their young athlete.

There are tremendous advantages in the freedom provided in the word no. No can be the most wonderful of standard setters. No, you may not do less than your best. No, you may not settle for less than your dreams. No, you may not be lazy. No, you may not take the easy route. No, you may accept less than your worth.

No, I will not go talk to your coach. No, I will not let you switch teams. No, this time you could have done more. No, I still love you. No, I still want what is best for you. No, I can not do this for you. No, your teacher isn’t wrong. No, I will not allow you to do that.

I make daily efforts to be the king of YES. Yes, you can. Yes, you will. Yes, you are. Yes, you should. Yes, you could. A pat on the back, a look in the eye, a smile in chaos, or a hand on the shoulder. Yes,  in the grand enabler for those in need. No serves a great purpose. It is a pause. It is a needed change of thinking. It is a suggestion of another way. It is the pointing in a different direction. When used properly, it is a needed re-route to YES. It is the new way. It is the better way.

No can be an acknowledgment that your young person is growing. It can be a flashing light that their bright eyes are searching for more, or looking for better. It is the whistle that calls for attention, it indicates a need for another voice. Another thought. No can be the simplest statement. It can also be the loudest.

No can remove doubt, elevate goals, and increase desire. No can move a young person off an idle position, and into a decisive one. It can take indifference and cause a change of energy and reason. No can be the reason why, the reason how, and the answer to whatever the other questions are. No can cause more questions, lead to more answers, and indicate a void of a valid and absolute either.

No can be a babysitter, a mentor, a teacher, or a muse. It can be the engine of inspiration, ambition, and success. It can be the key to understanding, appreciation, and motivation. It can be the stop sign, the caution sign, or the detour. It has strength. It has reason. It has a way.

Do not be afraid of your no. If used properly, and lovingly, it leads to YES.

Have it at. Just say no.

LovePrints go a long way. Ed Hunter and the Hunter Family

Thank you is such a simple thing to say. It always means more than the two words themselves. Always.

Great people make great families. Great Families make great people.

One of the reasons why I started LovePrints was to be able to say THANK YOU to people for who they are, what they have done, and what they are doing. These are people who did something along the way to form my life as it is. Some did these things on purpose, out loud, and directly. Some did so in my sight line and path, and in the shared path, became a part of my journey. I have said repeatedly that I am covered in LovePrints, and I will continue to share the good people who did this.

As most of you know, I am proud of my beginnings. I was raised by a community of family, friends, teachers, and coaches who barked when needed, smiled often, guided with firm yet gentle hands, and gave me a well lit path to walk on. Some did so without realizing that they had an army of young people following them. Or maybe they knew, and simply made it look like they didn't. What I can tell you is that the neighborhoods that I was raised and ran in were diverse, colorful, and loving. They were also full of people who taught by doing, who were constantly present, and cared enough to tell you what you needed to know rather than what you wanted to hear.

I talk a lot about the Black Knights community, the family and families, the brothers and sisters, and the teammates. The Black and Gold always managed to make the world seem large and comfortable at the same time. The names meant something because of the people that carried and honored them. And the families extended beyond the games, the fundraisers, and the colors. They extended into homes, playgrounds, parks, and fields. Among the names, Hunter was one that shines for me, and there are several reasons. The Hunters were a family. They were friends. They were my home away from home, and a landmark to my life. The beauty of this is that there are several families that could and will be talked about. Today, I want to focus on this family.

From first to the last, this family was always present. No matter if i was playing games, watching games, coaching games, or working games, they were present. From mom to daughter to brother, in family and friendship, always present. To provide light, direction, and advice. From keeping score, drinks for the teams, snacks for the coaches, and a pat on the back no matter how those games went. Always present.

At the top of this family is Ed Hunter. Coach. Dad. Pops. Sir. Always present. Always a transport. Always a wave from the corner house. Always a boundary. Always there to keep the lights on. Always there to give structure. Always there to give advice. Always there to growl if he saw something beneath you. Always there to smile if you were being a better version of yourself. Always there. Always.

The same can be said for the family, as could be said for many of the Black Knight families. But Ed, Karen, Eric, and Stacey are a great example of LovePrints. Theirs are all over Arlington County, and beyond. I would be failing if I did not use this space to tell them so. Ed, you made the county home for many. You made it better. I am saying thank you for a lot of us. You deserve it. Thank you Hunters, one and all.

LovePrints. A Mother's Day thank you for covering the world in love.

It is Mother's Day 2017. I lost my mother recently, and there is not one day that passes where I do not talk to her, feel her, miss her, and love her. That is the essence of LovePrints. To cover our world in so much love that nothing else can stick. To cover those we love in so much love that we then cover all that we come in contact with in that love. Love in action. Action in love. That is our LovePrint.

As parents, we mission to boundary our young people in the most love possible. I talk about teachers, mentors, idols, coaches, and others. It is mothers who do the real work. The real heavy lifting when it comes to love and how it is known. What love feels like, what it sounds like, what it can do to heal, and what it can do to lift. A mom's love is the great elevator, the great lifter, the great carrier, and the great support. A mother lays the foundation for what the picture of love is in our minds, hearts, and spirit.

As we enter into the world, we take with us the strength provided in a mothers love, and we stand in the depth of character a mother has shown. We act in the love of her example, and we live in the idea of honoring the love we were blessed in. We know from example what the purpose of love is, and we have seen up close what unconditional love feels like. A mother and her LovePrint is more powerful than fear, hate, and doubt. It is the light, and it shines any road we journey on. That is the power of a mother's love.

I salute you, mothers all. No matter mother in blood, heart, or spirit. No matter if you mother your own, mine, or ours. No matter if you are the loudest fan in the stands, the first in line to bring drinks and fruit, the last one home after driving home all of the kids of your sister moms who had to work, or if you cook extra meals just in case someone needs it, thank you.

I salute you if you if you tuck in, iron out, fold up, kiss it better, tell the story, hug it out, clean it up, truth tell, or make it all fine, thank you.

I salute you if you wake us up, text without boundary, call without reason, cry with joy, shout out accolades, or simply smile and nod, thank you.

I salute you if you cook for one, two, six, or 50. If you buy enough for yours, mine, or some you never knew just in case, thank you.

I salute you if you stood in the doorway as someone else walked home alone, or waited in the doorway to make sure of an arrival, thank you.

I salute you if you sent cash even if there was no request, or when it was dire need, thank you.

I salute you if you made clothes, washed them, bought them, or shared them with those more in need than your own, thank you.

I salute you if you told someone else's the truth, set them straight, stopped them when going astray, or smiled when needed, thank you.

A LovePrint is the constant loving out loud. it is the constant love in action. It is the constant action in love.

A LovePrint is the constant desire and choice to cover your world in love.

One day is not enough to love you out loud.

Thank you for covering us all in love.

Thank you, mother's all.

What is success? What is winning? Finding answers requires asking more questions.

If you are a parent, a teacher, a coach, a mentor, an educator, a student, or an athlete, there are words that are thrown around far too often and far too easily with no real definition of their meaning. Winning. Success. Teach. Learn. Each word conjures up some image in what we do that tells some that the word or idea has been achieved. Trophies. 100's. A's. Money. Smiles. Love. Whatever that image is for you, it may not be the image that someone else sees or agrees with. And that person may be the one who gets to decide if it is enough. That leads to confusion, doubt, stress, fear, and yes, LOSING. FAILURE. IGNORANCE. DOUBT. What brings this to mind is a gathering of coaches, educators, students, teachers, parents, athletes, and supporters who all seemed to be on different pages when dealing with the meaning of the words WINNING, SUCCESS, TEACHING, LEARNING. Even within the same title (coach, for instance) the word winning has different meanings and priorities than one would think. Winning for some coaches is the pay day, or the title, or the game, or even the day the young person moves on happily and prepared for their next coach, game, or team. If there are two players out of a hundred who play at the next level in your program, does that mean the coach succeeded or failed 98 %? Did the athletes become more prepared to contribute to life in their community? Are they in good standing with themselves and others? Is there joy in the games played, or are the games masks for discontent and fear? Do the athletes know why they are playing? Do the coaches?

For parents, WINNING can not be the end goal. Or can it? Is winning of greater importance than love, or learning, or success? As a parent, the priority might be happiness of their child, the experience of their child, or it can be the journey in which the winning and losing takes them on.

For teachers, is the focus TEACHING, or is it loving? Is there a concrete measurement for the growth of the child under the teachers watch and guidance? Is success in teaching the number of A students, or is it the improvement of the former D AND F students into B and c students? Is it the positive impact on the community, or is it about the constant flow and exchange of knowledge and information? Is success in the act, or the result? Is winning in the process or the end?

For the athletes and students, it would be incredibly helpful to know what winning, succeeding, learning, and loving are truly about. It would make sense for them to know what the focus and priority is, and is not. It would be great to know that these things are relative, temporary, and simple when known. If 1% of athletes deem playing professionally, or in college,  as success, the definition of success and failure better be known in advance. If students do not achieve whatever academic goals they deem as such, they should also know the success in their pursuit.

For the educators, what is the measurement for success, winning, teaching, and learning? Is it the number of young people processed through the system, or the number of prepared for living as an adult young people who happily walk out of the schools doors into the world?

I ask questions in hopes of reaching the place in your brain that speaks directly. I ask questions in hopes of reaching the place in your heart that speaks honestly. I ask questions in hopes that someone dares answer the questions for the good of us all. We can not make things better if we do not know why we are doing what we are doing. For clarity sake, there is no wrong answer. Each thing clears a path to know why things are the way that they are. Hopefully, the answers make things better than before. That should be why we are here.

Here are the questions at hand"

What is the priority of education? scholastic sports ? athletics ?

What is the purpose of coaching? What is the greatest result that coaching can achieve? Who is the greatest responsibility to for any coach?

What is winning for the athlete? Who wins if the athlete wins? What is losing? Who loses if the athlete loses?

What is the purpose of teaching? What is the greatest result that teaching can achieve? Who is the greatest responsibility to for any teacher?

What is success for the student? Who succeeds if the student succeeds? What is failure? Who fails if the student fails?

What is the dream for parents? What is the greatest result that parents can achieve? Who is the greatest responsibility to for any parent? What is success for the.parent? Who wins if the parent wins? What is parental failure? Who fails if the parents fail?

I hope that we can begin to define the why and what of these questions so that we can get to the HOW?