0
0
What are some of DHS’ Parent-isms, the common phrases that parents say to their children?
By: Olivia Shaieb & Alena Blumberg
“Loose lips, sink ships.” AP Calculus teacher Al Snider recalls this as a common quote he has said to his children growing up, which was passed down from his parents. As his kids get older, Mr. Snider realizes that his children have recalled this memorable quote by repeating it back to him.
As humans, sometimes there are only specific things that we choose to remember and understand as conscious decisions. This is known as selective memory. We go through life listening to our parents and teachers while trying to understand the meaning of their words, but other times, we zone out and only remember the words that we want to. Students recall the less meaningful phrases from adults, and some would even argue that their parents and teachers aren’t very inspirational. However, many adults explain, as they look back on life, they finally see that their parent’s words are very meaningful and pass on those words of wisdom to their own children, just like Mr. Snider did.
Chris Mackinder, the Journalism teacher at DHS, tells his son, “Don’t be a whiner, nobody likes whiners.” He articulates that he is “always trying to teach [his son] to develop grit to
[feel] like it’s okay to be upset, but don’t make your sadness somebody else’s problem.” Furthermore, when Mr. Mack was a child, he recalled many phrases his parents said to him. He claims that his version, “Don’t be a whiner” is an “adaptation of rub some dirt on it or being tougher.”
“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” Health and Wellness teacher Eric Williams repeats this to his children daily. He voices that in life it’s important to “take chances, understand failure, understand how to grind things out, and [how to] work through situations.” He wants his children to know “people are gonna doubt you” and wants his kids to adapt their “minds to believe that truly anything that they think they can do is achievable.”
He believes that his kids have used this lesson in their daily lives because “they respond” to situations with confidence.
Mr. Dudash, DHS IB Global Politics teacher, repeats to his children, “Let people show you who they are.” He explains this is a way for his children to figure out if a person is showing
their true colors. This is an important lesson as “young people are developing and learning how to navigate real good friends.” It is emphasized that throughout life, friends come and go for various reasons, but good friends always stay.
At DHS the teachers, specifically with children of their own, have incorporated important life lessons in little phrases, which are spoken throughout the day. Teachers hope that even if their students don’t remember that the linear equation is y=mx+b, they will remember a good life lesson. The goal is for young adults to be able to adapt to their surroundings and use these life lessons in their future lives. Mr. Williams says, “the cool thing about [teaching] is seeing your kids fail and then how they respond.”
