Leave Your High School Yearbook on the Kitchen Table.

Dear Parents: So your kids are back in school and trying to figure out where they fit in and how they might find success. It's a classic challenge for teenagers of every era. Wouldn't it be tremendous if you could have a long, laughter-filled conversation about your own days as an insecure, worried-about-the-future, not-living-up-to-your-potential teenager? I understand if your initial instinct may be to hide your high school yearbook from your kids. For three reasons. One, the pictures are horrid or embarrassing or both. That hair. That bow tie. That neckline. What were you thinking? Two, the scribbled memories of your classmates may reveal that you didn’t always make the best decisions during your formative years. Things like “I’ll always remember getting wasted at Corman’s cottage,” “Prom Night 2004 XXXOOO!!!” or “P.T.Y.P. FOREVER.” When your kids read those decades old scribbles, you may have some seriously explaining to do. Three, your own actual academic achievements, involvement in clubs, sports, and other extra curricular activities may not match the expectations you’ve presented to your offspring. After all, how can you claim the right to push your kids when you were a total slacker in high school? Well, that was then. This is now. During this season of life, your yearbook is a fabulous tool for getting your kids to talk about their hopes and dreams, fears and failures, habits and hang-ups. It’s really okay for parents to admit they made mistakes or have regrets. It’s healthy for kids to imagine mom and dad when they were in middle school or high school. Accidentally leave your yearbook on the kitchen table and get ready for some hearty laughs and heartfelt conversations with your kids. Blessings all, /jay P.S. I'm suddenly wondering what happened to classmate Don Osweiler. Hope he's doing well.