The Importance of Sharing Milestones

May and June are the months of the year often associated with weddings and graduations. This started me thinking about what constitutes a milestone and about how much more meaningful milestones are when shared with loved ones.

How did the term "milestone" ever come into our vocabulary? It originated long ago when stones were literally placed beside the road to mark the distance, in miles, between destinations. Today we use the term to denote a point in time, a beginning or perhaps an ending, that is significant in someone's life.

Think about some of your own milestones. Some may have been religious like your Confirmation or Bar Mitsvah. Others may have had something to do with your education, such as achieving your first A on a test or paper, graduating from elementary or high school, or getting accepted to college. Career-related milestones may include landing your first job, your first promotion, the first time you got fired (yes, that can be a milestone too!), and of course, retiring. Lastly, think about your most personal milestones like falling in love, getting married, having a child, buying your first home, and sadly, the death of a loved one. All of these milestones become more meaningful when they are shared with friends and family.

What do milestones have to do with "Don't Be That KID! At School"? A lot! Both the book and the resource guide seek to strengthen character building and foster positive relationships. Additionally, they stress the importance of establishing family values and provide a Family Crest to complete on page 71 in the Don't Be That KID! At School Resource Guide.

Let's embrace all of our milestones and learn from each one of them!