Why not sit down with the kids and watch some movies that demonstrate 21st century work skills? These movies provide some examples of problem solving, adaptability and initiative. Where the Red Fern Grows (PG) It is a hard life growing up in the back woods. Billy scrimps and saves to buy a pair of hunting dogs who brighten the lives …
Family Time Movie Theater: Communication, Creativity and Work Ethic
Here are some movies that address communication, creativity and work ethic. And one even includes kites! Mary Poppins (G) You already know about this Queen of kid movies. But you may not have paid attention to the lessons that are integrated throughout the movie. There is fun, frolicking, discipline, empathic parenting (or nannying as it were), dancing penguins, carousel horse …
Family Time Movie Theater: Dissenting Opinions
Here are some movies that will show your kids how to disagree, and stand up for a principle (and, in one instance, fail dramatically). It’s a Henry Fonda movie-thon! 12 Angry Men (NR, probably PG) Twelve men enter a jury room to determine the guilt or innocence of a teenage boy accused of murder. Initially, only one juror votes not …
Family Time Movie Theater: Saving Grace of Character
The Saving Grace of character counteracts greed, cruelty, selfishness and theft. Here are some movies that show the power of a saving grace and some that show the devastation (both personal and social) of being a person of low character. Saving Grace The Firm (R) An idealistic law school graduate takes a lucrative job offer in a secretive …
Family Time Movie Theater: Leadership
Finding portrayals of leadership in film is a challenge unless you want a male military commander or coach as the model. Good luck finding many women portrayed in true leadership roles. Here are some examples of male and female leaders as portrayed in film and television you can watch with your kids to see good leadership in action. Chicken …
Parenting Teens for the 21st Century Work Place: Achoring Skills
Twenty first century workers will have to contend with the reality that there are smart, accomplished people all over the world that can transmit their knowledge instantly anywhere in the world. While your kid will need to have a solid intellectual foundation, they will also need skill sets that can’t be outsourced to workers other countries; skills that can only …
Parenting Teens for the 21st Century Work Place: Continuous Learning
By some accounts, digital information doubles every 18 months. That would make the amount of digital information currently available be at around 3 x 1021 (that is 3 with 21 zeroes after it). And growing. That’s a lot of information. It is no longer sufficient to establish a basic knowledge set that will carry you through the end of your …
Preparing Teens for the 21st Century Work Place: Project Management
Jobs in which workers are responsible for discrete, repetitive and isolated (assembly line) tasks are disappearing in the 21st century work environment. In all levels of employment, workers have to accomplish multi-step tasks toward the completion of complex projects. In this environment, your kid’s ability to plan, coordinate and bring to completion complex projects will give them a decided advantage. …
Preparing Teens for the 21st Century Work Place: Leading by Influence
Traditional top down leadership (sometimes called bossing people around) works best in (and perpetuates) a static economy. The rapidly changing economic forces of the 21st century along with the increasingly collaborative nature of 21st century work environments are not well suited for this kind of leadership style. Instead, your kid will need to be familiar with and (ideally) practiced in …
Preparing Teens for the 21st Century Work Place: Saving Grace
Timeless universal values represented by an employee’s integrity will serve to distinguish them in an increasingly personal work environment. Curiously (and, maybe tellingly) discussions of important 21st Century work skills do not reference employees integrity (or the morals, ethics, values and character that compose it) as one of those important skills. And yet, without integrity (and a culture of integrity), …