Tom Tozer and Bill BlackIt's a "yawner." Even the word makes you yawn. Have you ever watched a yawner TV program? Eaten a yawner hamburger? Received yawner service? Have you ever felt like a yawn?
Same old same old
Yawners surround us. Too often we remain complacent or unmoved. The teacher who reads right out of the book every day and puts everyone (yawn) to sleep. The youth group that does the same old stuff every week until the participation reaches near zero.
Check yourself
Does your mirror reflect an image of a mediocre person who just gets by at school, church, work or home? Do you shrug off a desire to change things because it's too much hassle to create a fuss? "Who cares?" you might say.
Rest in (yawn) peace
Dad, please don't accept yawners from yourself or your kids (unless it's 2 in the morning and you're dead tired). When you accept life simply as it comes and are satisfied with ho-hum, then ho-hum becomes the new norm. Can you imagine a worse epitaph than "He lived a ho-hum life."
Dad, you da man!
Dad, expect excellence from yourself and your family. You are the role model. You are the trendsetter. No need to look outside your home. People who want to make a difference are hard to find. And when you think you've found someone, often you discover they are motivated by money or power or ego fulfillment. Big yawn.
It's up to you to set high standards and aim for excellence in everything you do. When you demand top performance from yourself, your children will work hard to follow your example. The yawners can't compete.
Raise the bar
If something in your life falls short, talk with someone about your concerns. But don't talk to a yawner. Perhaps you've been mistreated by an employer or brushed off by someone's yawning attitude. Fill out that restaurant evaluation card. Make that phone call. Write that letter or text or email or tweet! Take back that yawning merchandise.
Strive for excellence. Live it. Give it. Expect it from others.
Tom Tozer and Bill Black are authors of "Dads2Dads: Tools for Raising Teenagers." Like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter at Dads2Dadsllc. Email them at tomandbill@Dads2Dadsllc.com.