(Source: https://www.yahoo.com/health/an-open-letter-to-my-son-about-underage-drinking-92763705562.html)

An Open Letter To My Son About Underage Drinking

Kathy Radigan July 24, 2014

Photo by Redwin Law/Flickr

As hard as it is for me to believe this, I’m the mother of a teenager. In fact, Tom will be entering 10th grade this September.

The years have gone so fast that I really feel as if one day I was taking pictures of him graduating from our Mommy and Me class, the next day I couldn’t believe he was in the fourth grade, and then bang, he was in high school.

Play dates at friends' houses have been replaced by going out for sushi, a movie, or walking around town with his buddies. Alone. No adults watching over them.

Instead of chatting with his friends’ parents over coffee at kitchen tables, we wave to them out of car windows.

The times they are a changin'.

Whenever my family or friends ask about Tom and marvel at the fact that he is now a teenager, the subject of alcohol and drugs always seems to come up. As in, how will I handle it when he comes home drunk for the first time? Or what will I do if I find out that he had been using drugs?

I always find the questions a bit baffling because it’s just assumed that Tom will try these things. In fact, the common answer I get from most of my friends and family is that of course he will.

Truth be told, I find this mindset maddening. And if I was a kid today, I would find it really confusing.

From the time Tom was in kindergarten, he has been learning in school that drinking and drugs are dangerous choices. He has read books and been shown movies about how alcohol can affect your judgment and make it easier to engage in other risky behaviors like unprotected sex or driving under the influence.

In eighth grade his health teacher made the whole class write letters addressed to themselves making the promise that they wouldn't smoke, drink, or have unprotected sex in high school.

Yet so many parents take it as a foregone conclusion that their kids will engage in any manner of risky behavior.

I’ve been accused of living in “La La Land” if I think otherwise. “Kids will be kids,” some say. Others will chime in with, “after all we did it.”

Really? Is this the criteria we are going to base our parenting on?

I get it. My son is growing up, and he’s going to have to make choices for himself.

I want him to spread his wings and discover who he is. And as much as some people think I’m living under a rock, I do know that he is going to make mistakes along the way.

But, I want him to know where I stand on engaging in behaviors that are at best risky and at worst illegal or life threatening.

I never want my son to say that I wasn’t clear about my feelings — so I’m writing them out here, for all to see.

Dear Tom,

The legal drinking age in this country is 21. Please know that dad and I will never allow you to have alcohol in our house or in our presence until you reach that age. Please also know that no good has ever come from a group of teenagers drinking. It’s a recipe for all kinds of disasters.

If you should choose to drink, you’ll not only be breaking the rules of our house, you’ll be breaking the law.

If you get stopped for driving under the influence, or the police get called to a party where you have been drinking, you may be in a position where we can’t protect you.

Always call me and your dad. ALWAYS. No matter what you have done.

Don’t ever follow up a bad choice with one that’s worse just because you’re afraid of disappointing us or making us angry.

Will we be happy? Of course not. But we would much rather get you and any friend that wants to come with you home safely, than get a call that you are NEVER coming home.

Let me be clear that the fact that we love you and will stand by you does not in any way mean we will stand by while you do things that you know aren’t good for you.

There will be those who will tell you that your parents are being unreasonable and totally unrealistic. Some may tell you that you are a teenager and that it’s a rite of passage to get drunk. They may even regale you with stories of their own youthful mistakes.

Listen to your own heart and trust your gut. Also know there is nothing cool about waking up in your own vomit, or having a DUI before you are 18.

Your father and I are so proud of the man you are becoming. We love you so much that we don’t care if you hate us. That’s our gift to you, we are your parents not your friends.

Always,

Mom 

*This essay originally appeared on Kathy Radigan's blog My Dishwasher's Possessed 

Ways A Resume Can Make A Job Seeker Look Unenthusiastic

Source: https://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/ways-resume-job-seeker-look-unenthusiastic-223045310.html

By Amanda Clark  

Hiring is an expensive process—it takes resources and time from an employer to sift through resumes, interview, do background checks and bring in new personnel to a company. With that in mind, the last thing a hiring manager wants to do is waste the company’s time with an applicant who is not standing out.
Those who do not take the time to craft a compelling, sharp resume may find that they are not getting any calls back from potential employers. The reason may not be a lack of experience or qualifications; instead, it could just mean that the resume made it seem that the job applicant didn’t care about the job.
How Could a Job Seeker Not Care About A Job?
With unemployment remaining a top concern for job seekers—particularly those in the younger crowd—it isn’t that professionals do not care about working. However, the eagerness to simply get a job and get paid has been met with many perusing through job boards and blindly sending off resumes and formulaic cover letters in the hopes that one employer will bite. Simply put, a lot of job seekers are just looking for a job—and it may not matter who hires them.
As noted above, employers will be on the lookout for any candidate who is less-than-serious about accepting the position. As such, they will look for any indicators on a resume or cover letter that there was no real consideration of the actual position and the company hiring. Here are a few ways a job seeker may give off that impression:

• Generalizing Skills

If a resume lacks specificity, it may look like a job applicant is sending out his or her information to several employers in several different industries. While it certainly great to have strong soft skills, it is essential to make sure that every resume sent out correlates to the needs of the specific position an employer posted. To show an employer that you truly care about the job and will make a difference to the company, try highlighting past achievements to illustrate how you will contribute to growth.

• Using a Customary Template

It is true that resumes should follow a specific format and aesthetic to make it easy on the reader’s eyes. For instance, you want to try to get all the information on one page and to leave enough white space to create balance. However, this does not mean that you have to opt for a basic resume template that looks like every other candidate’s resume. While it is important to follow the typical guidelines for resume flow, try personalizing yours with a crisp font and putting the resume on professional resume paper. If you create a resume from scratch, rather than fill in the blanks on a preexisting template, you will likely have a one-of-a-kind resume that still looks polished.

• Listing Skills Across the Board

In addition to avoiding generalized skills, job seekers should make sure to avoid listing a skill set that is broad and not really in touch with that a specific position requires. Remember: it is okay to edit and change skills you have in your “Core Competencies” section if you have plenty to choose from. If you list everything, particularly irrelevant skills, a recruiter or hiring manager may question your actual understanding of the position that is open.

• Using the Same Cover Letter Over and Over Again

It’s totally worth it to apply to as many jobs as you can—it increases your opportunities to land a great position. However, it is not okay to submit the same cover letter repeatedly by only switching out company names and the job title you are applying for. Believe it or not, hiring parties can read right through a cover letter you have sent to other companies. A generalized cover letter will discuss your skills, your experience and your desire to become employed—but everything will be vague.
While it’s all right to use a similar flow for each of your cover letters, take the time to write specifically to the job that is being applied for. A great way to connect with the reader is to identify the employer and explain why your skills and values are a great fit for that specific brand. If you connect the dots in a cover letter, employers will appreciate the fact that you’ve taken time to get to know their company and explain your enthusiasm for potentially working there.
Get Started With a Strong Resume
While it is important to be specific and appeal to the individual employer of the job you are applying for, it does not mean you have to start from scratch every time you see an open position. Instead, it is better to work with a strong, comprehensive resume and detailed cover letter from the start. With these resources in hand, you can edit and revise each document for each job you apply for as you see fit.
This article was syndicated from Business 2 Community: Ways A Resume Can Make A Job Seeker Look Unenthusiastic