Fred Rogers is responsible for little kids growing up with some civility in this country. He was so gentle. Kids loved him. Mothers did too! Some dads thought he was a little limp wristed--but they just didn't understand! Fred Rogers was a Great Grampa in Training Hero who did on TV what truly great grampas do in person.
Can you guess what that is? Can you say pay attention? Repeat it with me. (Of course that kind of teaching, sharing patience was his stock in trade) He mastered the art of actually paying attention to each of his pint sized viewers on a one on one basis. That's no mean trick. Grampas (with all their distractions) have a difficult time naturally communicating soul to soul with a gramchild one on one.
Fred Rogers became a children's television star as a result of his great dream to become a composer like his idols, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin. His bachelor's degree was in music composition.
"I went into television because I hated it so," he told a CNN interviewer, "and I thought there was some way of using this fabulous instrument to be of nurture to those who would watch and listen. And he did.
In the same way he changed into his sweater and sneakers at the beginning of every program on public television, he fit ever so well into a mantle of caring and kindness that every child who loved him understood almost instantly.
One of my favorite stories is about his work as a composer and a trip to Tin Pan Alley. The lesson in persistent work is obvious, yes?
The story goes that young Fred Rogers took a suitcase filled with sheet music to Tin Pan Alley and visited the first publisher's office he came to.
The cigar chomping man looked the eager Pennsylvanian up and down and pointed to a half filled 50 gallon drum in the corner of his office. "See that oil drum?" he asked.
"I do." replied young Fred.
"Empty your suitcase into the oil drum and go back to Pittsburgh and write another suit case full of music." the publisher said, dismissing the young composer.
"But, I wanted to go over several of my best compositions with you and get a better idea of where I can improve." Fred protested mildly.
"The more you do the better you get--that's just how it is!" the man said as he escorted Fred to the office door.
Did you get the message. It applies to Web Designers, Gardners and Grampas. If you work at it, the more you do, the better you get.
Over the years I've taught a number of computer students. Most of them come to class to learn, realizing that if they do the work they'll build their skills. Occasionally I run into a Perfectionist Prima Donna, who comes up with a variety of flimsy excuses to NOT DO THE WORK. My most recent new friend is hesitant to produce a blog because she is afraid to let out some secret or another. I've encouraged her to use a false name or just her first name--but to go through the motions of producing a blog on assignment. (My argument that there are 250 million blogs--made no difference whatsoever!)
How I love the students who dive in and conquer things like cutting and pasting HTML to display a video. That ability to avoid going around, under or over is only surpassed by the willingness to dig straight through a challenge.
Grampas who avoid difficult gramchildren or grimace at the idea of all three little rug rats descending at once on the ol' family homestead--such grampas need to develop courage and pick up the skills involved in running a three ring circus! Being a GREAT Grampa is a work in progress, for him who dives right in with well polished skills required. That's what this blog is all about. JRH
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