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LIVE LIFE VIVE LA VIDA!
August 2018
8866 Gulf Freeway, Suite 440, Houston, Texas 77017
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page 1 Why “A” Students Work for “C” Students
page 2 How to Prepare Your Kids for School
page 3 Small Business Spotlight
page 4 Keep Your Kids Safe on the Way to School
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
One cause that is extremely close to my heart is the Bikes for Kids program our firm is working on. Every child deserves the opportunity to ride a great bike, and we want to open up that possibility. We’ll be giving away one bike, helmet, and lock each week to a deserving child. The contest runs through Aug. 22, and nominating a child is simple. Rules For a child to be nominated, they must meet the following criteria: • 5–15 years old • Must live within the Pasadena Independent School District OR if the person nominating the child is a VIPmember, the child will be eligible Process 1. Find a Nominee Do you know of a child who has had a positive impact in the community? Maybe a child who persevered in the face of adversity? If you know such a child, nominate them! 2. Fill Out Our Form Head on over to attorneymcclure.com/bikes-for-kids- texas and fill out the form. 3.WinnerWinner, Chicken Dinner We will review all the nominees each week and select a winner. Our teamwill reach out to you and make sure the child receives their newwheels. If you have more questions, be sure to read the fine print at attorneymcclure. com/bikes-for-kids-texas or reach out to our office today at 281-747-9961. The Bikes for Kids Giveaway
DO WE GET AN “F” FOR MAKING OUR CHILDREN EARN AN “A”?
Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg are the models of wild success. And while they had passion, dreams, and grit, they quit traditional education. For someone like me, who has spent years upon years studying and testing and who continues to seek education, this article and advice may seem contrary to my overall views and outlook on grades and college. You see, I am not convinced that college is necessary in this day and age. Further, I am fairly certain that, while getting straight A’s may help you get a great job, it may actually be detrimental to a person’s future. Hear me out … Let me first get the attorney double talk out of the way. If you have a passion and that passion requires college, then you must “invest” in a college degree. For example, engineers, nurses, teachers, doctors, and lawyers must go through the educational process to become licensed in their field, and their degrees are assets. But if you are going to invest time and money into such a degree, your degree had better be an asset and not a liability. If you have no passion for your chosen area of study, or if your ultimate job doesn’t require such an extensive education, you really have only created a liability.
One of my favorite authors, Robert Kiyosaki, wrote a book entitled “Why ‘A’ Students Work for ‘C’ Students and ‘B’ Students Work for the Government: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Education for Parents,” which talks about how studies and data clearly show that “A” students end up working for “C” students. He states that the education system is created to churn out employees who can memorize, read well, and test well. These types of “star” employees are usually the “A” students. In contrast, the “C” students are the creative thinkers, visionaries and dreamers who become innovative and creative entrepreneurs. Why? Maybe it has to do with the fact that “C” students have learned that “failing” is a part of life and that to succeed in life, one must take risks, whereas the “A” student buys into the belief that failure is to be avoided at all costs. Or maybe the contrast can be better understood in the belief of parents who only want to see the highest letter grade stamped on each test or paper as compared with those parents who push their children to be more well-rounded, to be more socially skilled, and to pursue passions. The point of the book is not to say that education is bad, but to emphasize that if we really want to raise successful children in the real world, we must
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3 WAYS TO MENTALLY PREPARE YOUR KIDS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR
A DEADLY VACATION
As I write this article, I am on a wonderful family vacation cruise to Alaska. Of course, one of the main choices to be made is which tours to take while on land. For Alaska, excursions such as whale watching and taking a helicopter ride to a nearby glacier for dog-sledding sound particularly enticing. But as I think about my many choices, my mind drifts to the recent duck boat tragedy, where 31 people who were also on vacation decided to take a duck boat tour in the Branson, Missouri, area. Out of 31 passengers, 17 drowned. The youngest was 1, the oldest was 76, and 9 of those 17 deaths were from the same family. I cannot even imagine the grief that these families are suffering. On July 19, 2018, the tour operator known as Ride the Duck Branson intentionally chose money over people. If you have never done a duck boat tour, it basically involves riding in an amphibious vehicle that can be driven both on land and on water. These tours are big business in tourist areas, and we have at least one such tour right here in Galveston, Texas. But the threat in this situation did not come just from being on the tour itself. No, the threat in this situation arose from how the tour was operated. You see, this duck boat company had been warned that the canopies on these types of boats should be removed because of the potential to trap people inside the vehicle. The warning stemmed from a federal study that was done after 13 people drowned in a similar situation in Arkansas in 2002. And in this case, the canopy did in fact entrap these victims, dragging them down to the bottom of the lake. But it gets worse. This duck tour operator knew there was a bad storm coming and actually changed their route so that they could get out on the water fast in an effort to beat the storm. Further, not one of the victims was found wearing a life jacket, even though the boat contained many life jackets. So, what should I do? Should I just avoid taking my family on cruises? Maybe I should just avoid cruises and vacations altogether! Of course, we know that in life, we take risks every day. The key is to minimize the risk. For me, that means looking at online reviews and the cruise ship recommendations. For me — and probably for most of us — we realize that there is some risk to any activity. But no company should purposefully put profit over people. What happened on this duck boat tour should never have happened. There is only one explanation for the action of the tour boat operator, and that explanation is greed. And, while I have handled many cases involving these types of inexcusable behaviors, I will never tire of fighting for my clients who have suffered such great losses. And the worst part of the story — the most outrageous part — is that their deaths were completely avoidable.
It may not feel like it yet, but summer is coming to a close, and summer break is ending along with it. Soon, the kids will be back to early morning breakfasts before the school bus arrives and late-night study sessions. Thankfully, there are some steps your family can take during these closing weeks of summer to ensure your kids hit the ground running this school year. Set an Early Bedtime For many kids, summer schedules are flexible. They may have become accustomed to sleeping in and staying up late without any obligations. Getting back into the rhythm of the school year can take some getting used to. In fact, according to psychologist Cherie Valeithian, it can take upward of two weeks to properly adjust to a new sleep-wake cycle. So why not give your kids a head start and ensure they begin the school year bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? Outline a Homework Schedule Resuming a homework regimen can be a difficult transition for some kids. Late summer, when they don’t have assignments to worry about yet, can be a great opportunity to help them prepare a study schedule. Ask the following questions to help them get started: “Do you want to dive right into homework when you get home? Do you need to accommodate for a sport or extracurricular activity? Do you work best when doing your assignments in one large chunk, or would you prefer taking breaks in between assignments?” Your kids may find that last year’s schedule doesn’t work for them this year. Emphasize that this is okay; part of growing up is learning how and when you work most effectively. Don’t be afraid to help them switch things up as the school year progresses. Ask Your Kids HowThey Feel Maybe your kids are excited about the school year. Maybe they are anxious, or perhaps they’re just disappointed to see summer vacation come to an end. Starting a dialogue about the aspects of school your kids are looking forward to and those they’re dreading can help you dispel myths and identify problem areas. More than anything else, this can help your kids feel at ease about the coming year.
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VIVE LA VIDA ¡VIVE LA VIDA!
2018 de agosto
8866 Gulf Freeway, Suite 440, Houston, Texas 77017
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¿SACAMOS UNA “F” POR HACER QUE NUESTROS HIJOS SAQUEN UNA “A”? Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Henry Ford, Walt Disney, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs y Mark Zuckerberg son los modelos de un éxito sobrecogedor. Y aunque tenían pasiones, sueños y determinación, abandonaron la educación tradicional. de la vida y que para tener éxito en la vida, se deben asumir riesgos, donde el estudiante de “A” compra la creencia de que el fracaso se debe evitar a toda cosa. O quizás el contraste se puede entender mejor con la creencia de los padres que solo quieren ver la nota más alta estampada en cada examen o trabajo en comparación con esos padres que hacen que sus hijos estén más preparados, para ser más habilidosos socialmente y persigan sus pasiones.
Para alguien como yo, que se ha pasado años y años estudiando y examinándose y que continúa buscando una educación, este artículo y consejo podía parecer contrario a mi visión general y perspectiva de las notas y la universidad. Verás, no estoy convencido de que la universidad sea necesaria en esta época. Aunque, estoy muy seguro de que, si consigues muchas “A’s” podrá ayudarte a conseguir un trabajo genial, en realidad, podría ser nocivo para el futuro de la persona. Atento … Primero, déjame dejar a un lado la charla de doble sentido de abogado. Si tienes una pasión y esa pasión requiere de universidad, entonces debes “invertir” en un grado universitario. Por ejemplo, ingenieros, enfermeras, profesores, médicos y abogados deben pasar por el proceso educativo para poder tener la licencia de su sector, y sus grados son activos. Pero si vas a invertir tiempo y dinero en un grado de ese tipo, tu grado debería ser un activo y no una carga. Si no sientes pasión por el área de estudio que has escogido, o si el trabajo de tus sueños no requiere una educación tan extensa, realmente solo has creado una carga. Uno de mis autores preferidos, Robert Kiyosaki, escribió un libro titulado “Despierta el genio financiero de tus hijos: La guía de Padre Rico para la educación financiera de los padres,” que habla sobre cómo los estudios y los datos muestran claramente que los estudiantes de “A” acaban trabajando para estudiantes de “C”. Dice que el sistema educativo se crea para producir empleados en masa que puedan memorizar, leer bien y hacer bien las pruebas. Estos tipos de empleados “estrella” normalmente son los estudiantes de “A”. Al contrario, los estudiantes de “C” son los pensadores creativos, visionarios y soñadores que se vuelven innovadores y emprendedores creativos.
El objetivo del libro no es decir que la educación sea mala, sino enfatizar en que si realmente queremos que nuestros hijos tengan éxito en el mundo real, debemos estar dispuestos a enseñar esas cosas que no se enseñan en la escuela y equilibrar el deseo de conseguir “A’s” en todo con el trabajo más importante de educar a niños bien preparados, felices y de éxito. En mi opinión, eso significa educar niños que sean capaces de relacionarse bien por sí mismos en situaciones sociales, que sean capaces de fracasar varias veces antes de tener éxito, que estén educados en finanzas, y que sepan lo que significa perseguir sus pasiones y sueños - ¡incluso aunque sea arriesgado! En el mundo de hoy en día, la tecnología nos ha permitido a todos establecer una universidad de clase mundial justo en nuestros hogares. No hace falta dinero, sino amor y tiempo. Debemos encontrar maneras de nutrir, promover e incluso proteger el verdadero genio de nuestros hijos, que yo puedo encontrar en sus sueños y deseos y luego alimentarlos centrándonos en sus actividades en estas áreas conocidas. Debemos encontrar maneras de enseñar a nuestros hijos habilidades sociales, habilidades de liderazgo, autoestima, determinación e incluso concienciación financiera. Y aunque la escuela pueda enseñar algunas de esas habilidades, los cimientos deben establecerse pronto y en el hogar. Incluso entonces, no debemos dejarnos ir y creer que el sistema educativo tiene nuestras mismas creencias, valores o incluso el mismo propósito que tenemos para nuestros hijos. Puedo decirte que espero mucho más de mis hijos que la capacidad de memorizar y escupir respuestas. Ese tipo de habilidad no
¿Por qué? Quizás tenía que ver con el hecho de que los estudiantes de “C” han aprendido que “suspender” es parte
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DESTACADOS DE PE- QUEÑOS NEGOCIOS FLORIDO A/C Y CALEFACCIÓN
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preparará a mis hijos para el éxito en el mundo real. No, mis hijos necesitan saber cómo gestionar dinero, cómo comunicarse de manera efectiva y otras habilidades críticas en la vida. En uno de mis libros preferidos podemos encontrar un ejemplo de lo que Edith y yo estamos enseñando en nuestro hogar: “Padre Rico, Padre Pobre” (del mismo autor). En el libro, el autor compara las creencias de su padre biológico (pobre) sobre cómo crear riqueza financiera con las creencias del padre (rico) de un amigo sobre cómo ganar dinero. El “padre pobre” hizo lo que la sociedad le dijo que hiciese, fue a la escuela, se hizo profesor, compró una casa, invirtió dinero en un 401(k), y con el tiempo, se jubiló. El “padre rico” no recibió una educación superior y no puso dinero en un 401(k), pero creó varias fuentes de ingresos, compró activos inmobiliarios y con el tiempo, se jubiló. El Sr. Kiyosaki también tiene una versión de este libro para adolescentes. Recomiendo encarecidamente ambos libros. El libro nos da una educación financiera que no puede encontrarse en la escuela – e incluso es contradictoria con lo que nos han enseñado a muchos. El Sr. Kiyosaki explica que se nos enseñan algunos mitos desde una corta edad, como “la deuda es mala”, “las casas son activos,” y “ahorrar dinero es el camino a la seguridad financiera,” y explica por qué no son verdad esas creencias. Aunque no estoy de acuerdo con todo lo que dice en el libro, me abrió en la creencia de que hasta ahora se me había mentido sobre cómo se crea la verdadera independencia financiera. Y aquí permíteme ser directo – nosotros también tenemos problemas para encontrar tiempo para leer y valorar esta información con nuestros hijos. Y al igual que la mayoría de niños, nuestros hijos no siempre están muy receptivos a la hora de pasar más tiempo aprendiendo. Pero, incluso aunque solo saquen un ratito o dos, al menos sabré que tendrán una educación financiera mejor que la de la mayoría de las personas, y sabrán dónde buscar cuando lleguen al punto dónde sus vidas necesiten respuestas. Y en ese punto, todo nuestro tiempo, amor y paciencia dará fruto. Si a alguien le gustaría una copia gratuita de “Padre Rico, Padre Pobre,” solo envía un email a Monse@ attorneymclure.com o llama a Monse al 713-571-7777. Y si conoces a un adolescente que podría usar este libro, házmelo saber y le haré llegar una versión para adolescentes del libro de manera gratuita. Simplemente asegúrate de que se lo dices a Monse antes del 30 de Septiembre de 2018.
¿Hay alguien más en el abrasador calor de Tejas? La mayoría pasa de las oficinas con aire acondicionado a los carros con el aire acondicionado, y luego a la comodidad de nuestras casas con aire acondicionado. Es nuestro mecanismo copiado durante la dura realidad que ofrece el verano. Pero, ¿qué ocurre cuando pierdes ese lujo? Bueno, si es en la oficina, el propietario se hará cargo de ello. Si es en tu carro, un mecánico podrá arreglarlo rápidamente. Pero si es en tu hogar, ¿qué haces? Mi sugerencia es llamar al propietario de nuestro destacados de pequeños negocios de este mes. He sido amigo de Jorge Florido y su esposa durante muchos años, y no encontrarás una persona más fiable para que vaya a tu hogar cuando tengas un problema de A/C o calefacción. Tanto Jorge como su esposa ha sido servidores públicos durante todas sus vidas – Jorge se ha retirado recientemente del Departamento de Policía de Bellaire, y su mujer trabajaba como coordinadora judicial para el Juez Clinton en el Tribunal Penal del Condado de Harris. Su corazón pasa de servir a otros a aplicarse directamente en Florido A/C and Heat, y los resultados no se pueden discutir. Siempre que algún familiar tenga un problema de A/C, recomiendo inmediatamente a Jorge. Siempre responde rápidamente a las llamadas y siempre realiza un servicio fenomenal. A cualquier que esté en la desesperada situación de no tener aire fresco durante nuestros duros veranos debería llamar a Jorge, ¡y llamarle ya! Durante el 31 de Agosto de 2018, Jorge ofrece limpiezas de sistemas de A/C por la mitad de precio - ¡solo $65! ¿Cuál es el truco? Bueno, todo lo que tienes que hacer para recibir el descuento es mencionar nuestra firma legal, y Jorge se ocupará del resto. Llama a Jorge al 713-823-3541 y se asegurará de que tu A/C está listo para el calor más sofocante.
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Anyone else out there sweltering in the Texas heat? Most of us jump from our air-conditioned offices to our air- conditioned cars, and then to the comfort of our air- conditioned houses. It’s our coping mechanism during the harsh realities of summer. But what happens when you lose that luxury? Well, if it’s at the office, the owner takes care of that. If it’s in your car, a mechanic can fix that quickly. But if it’s at home, what do you do? My suggestion is you call the owner of our small business spotlight for this month. person to have in your home when it comes to A/C and heat problems. Both Jorge and his wife have been public servants throughout their lives — Jorge recently retired from the Bellaire Police Department, and his wife worked as court coordinator for Judge Clinton in Harris County Criminal Court. They take their heart to serve others and apply that directly to Florido A/C and Heat, and the results cannot be argued with. be willing to teach those subjects not taught at school and to balance the desire for straight A’s with the more important job of raising well-rounded, happy, and successful children. In my opinion, that means raising children who are able to handle themselves well in social situations, who are able to fail multiple times before succeeding, who are financially educated, and who know what it means to chase passions and dreams — even if there are risks! In today’s world, technology has allowed each one of us to establish a world-class university right in our home. It does not require money, but it does require love and time. We must find ways to nurture, encourage, and even protect our children’s true genius, which to me can be found in their dreams and desires and then ignited by focusing their activities in these known areas. We must find ways of teaching our children social skills, leadership skills, self-esteem, grit, and even financial awareness. And while school may teach some of these skills, the foundation must be set early on in the home. Even then, we must not get lazy and believe that the school system has our same beliefs, core values, or even the same purpose that we have for our children. I can tell you that I expect much more frommy children than the ability to memorize and spit back an answer. That kind of skill will not prepare my children to be real-world successes. No, my kids need to know how to manage money, how to effectively communicate, and other critical life skills. An example of what Edith and I are teaching in our home can be found in one of my favorite books: “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” (same author). In the book, the author contrasts his (poor) biological dad’s beliefs in what creates financial wealth with a friend’s (rich) dad’s beliefs in what I have been friends with Jorge Florido and his wife for several years, and you will not find a more trustworthy
Whenever anyone in our family has an A/C issue, I immediately recommend Jorge. He always responds to calls quickly and only knows how to provide phenomenal service. Anyone who has been in the desperate situation of not having cool air during our harsh summers should call Jorge, and call him now! Through Aug. 31, 2018, Jorge is offering an A/C system cleaning for half off — only $65! What’s the catch? Well, all you need to do to get the discount is mention our law firm, and Jorge will take care of the rest. Give Jorge a ring at 713- 823-3541 and make sure your A/C is ready for the worst of the heat. creates true wealth. “Poor dad” did what society tells us to do, went to school, became a teacher, bought a house, put money into a 401(k), and eventually retired. “Rich dad” did not receive a college education and did not put money into a 401(k), but he did create several streams of income, purchased real estate, and eventually retired. Mr. Kiyosaki also has a version of this book for teens. I highly recommend both books. The book is giving us a financial education that cannot be found at school — and is even contrary to what most of us have been taught. Mr. Kiyosaki explains that we are taught certain myths from a young age, such as “debt is bad,” “houses are assets,” and “saving money is the way to financial security,” and he explains why such beliefs are untrue. While I do not agree with every statement in the book, my eyes were opened to the belief that I had been lied to about how true financial independence is created. And let me be up-front here — we, too, struggle to find the time to read and review this information with our children. And just like most kids, our children are not always the most receptive to spending more time learning. But even if they only pull out a gold nugget or two, at least I know they will be more financially educated than most people, and they will know where to look when they get to the point in their lives where they need the answers. And at that point, all of our time, love, and patience will pay off. If anyone would like a free copy of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” just email Monse@attorneymclure.com or call Monse at 713-571-7777. And if you know a teenager who could use this book, let me know and I will get them a teen version of the book for free. Just make sure that you let Monse know before September 30, 2018. ... CONTINUED FROMCOVER
DO WE GET AN “F” FOR MAKING OUR CHILDREN EARN AN “A”?
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TRANSPORTATION SAFETY TIPS PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN DURING THEIR COMMUTE
With the school year fast approaching, families are in preparation mode. Parents are busy buying new clothes and school supplies and thinking about the best way to get their kids safely to school. Keeping your child safe on their commute starts with knowing the transportation method that works best for you and the rules that accompany that method. According to the United States Department of Transportation, the school bus is the safest means of transportation to and from school. Buses are built to withstand a hit and distribute the damage throughout the vehicle, keeping its passengers safe and sound. Taking the School Bus
Knowing basic bus safety will help kids be mindful when taking the bus. Before the school year starts, take your children to the bus stop and show them where they should stand when the bus approaches — a minimum of three large steps or 6 feet from the street. Tell your kids about the importance of sitting still and not standing in the bus while it’s in motion. Whether your child is biking, walking, or even skateboarding, it’s vital that they know and follow the rules of the road. All children should practice road safety behavior, such as riding on the right side of the road, wearing helmets, stopping at stop signs, and watching out for cars. Internalizing Kids on the Road
these habits will help them stay aware of their surroundings when traveling to and from school.
Sharing the Road
When school starts, the roads become even more cluttered than usual. On top of people heading to work, there are large buses making frequent stops, parents rushing to drop their kids off, and young kids biking or walking to school. With the added tension on the road, it’s important to be alert and move cautiously. Slowing down in school zones or around young pedestrians will keep you vigilant and could potentially save lives. Teach your kids to be prepared and safe on the road to ensure that they have a healthy and safe school year.
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