Dear Son, A Collection of Advice and Observations for Anyone

By Ivan Bannowsky

Dear Son, A Collection of Advice and Observations for Anyone, is written with the intent to provide my son and the targeted audience a comprehensive guide of advice, as well as, a catalyst for discussions on the various topics covered and is an opportunity for introspection and the establishment of a moral compass. It covers many of life’s challenges and offers to educate...see bio for more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ivan Bannowsky
• Release date: Apr 8, 2009
• ISBN: 9781452378497

Ivan Bannowsky

My book, Dear Son, A Collection of Advice and Observations for Anyone, is written with the intent to provide my son and the targeted audience a comprehensive guide of advice, as well as, a catalyst for discussions on the various topics covered and is an opportunity for introspection and the establishment of a moral compass. It covers many of life’s challenges and offers to educate the reader in a discussion-like format on the many nuances of social behavior that are rarely passed on between generations. Although, the text is written specifically for my son, a teen, it could also greatly benefit young adults and anyone seeking to lessen the burden of their naivety. I have kept the content precise and to the point as I understand the value of people's time. Every sentence has a message and is designed to keep the reader enticed.There is a myriad of parenting material and self-help books on the market yet there are none that neither approach their subjects in a real-world context nor are written to include readers of all levels as well as this manuscript. Sometimes people take for granted the obvious or what may be deemed as common sense and don't take the time to teach others the knowledge they need for social survival. It is my observation that most people lack the skills to interact with each other and conduct themselves appropriately on the most basic of levels and it is my intent to provide a means for them to be more knowledgeable in these matters. The global non-communication epidemic between parent and child has commanded this work into existence and it is my expectation that people will appreciate the accessibility of a tool for them to understand and interact with their world more productively.I have always had a fascination with human behavior and have sought to decipher what makes people tick and why they make the decisions that they do. I consider myself an observer of people and have found that my theories and predictions have been proven correct more often than not. As I cover in the Preface, I make no claim that I possess any higher level of understanding of any of the topics I cover than anyone else, it is strictly my point of view. Yet, I believe that uniqueness could be, at the least, entertaining to the reader and am confident that after scrutinizing my writings they will come away with an enlightened outlook.Chapter DescriptionsPreface – Introduces the work and what has inspired me to write it. It also covers its purpose and what the reader can expect to derive from the work.Dear Son, Letter – Is a letter specifically written for my son and explains to him some of my experiences as a young adult.Chapter 1 – Health – This chapter discusses the importance of maintaining one's health, as well as, advice pertaining to the health care industry.Chapter 2 – Family – Covers the necessity of preserving the familial unit and the consequences of its decline.Chapter 3 – Friends – Discusses the advantages of friendship and provides tips on avoiding peer pressure.Chapter 4 – Love & Relationships - Describes what one can expect in a romantic relationship and intimacy. Also covers the importance of communication and understanding between couples.Chapter 5 – People – Covers human nature and how to deal with people's conduct that may be challenging.Chapter 6 – Education & Career – Things to concentrate on during schooling, career choices and what can be expected in the workplace.Chapter 7 – Global Citizenship – This chapter discusses social and environmental responsibilities necessary for a fair and healthy world.Chapter 8 – Politics – Discusses the purpose of government and the influences at play in the political realm.Chapter 9 – Religion – Describes the existence of many paths of spirituality and discusses their impact on society.Chapter 10 – Personal Finances & Affairs – Covers the importance of organization when handling monetary instruments and the need for preparation.Chapter 11 – Driving – Stresses the need for extreme caution while driving and provides tips to avoid accidents.Chapter 12 – Etiquette – Covers the more common infractions of social etiquette and measures to stay safe on the phone and on line.Chapter 13 – Some Other Stuff – A collection of other points not included in the previous chapters such as self-preservation and words to the wise.

Book preview

Dear Son,

A Collection of Advice

And Observations for Anyone

Ivan Bannowsky

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Published by Ivan Bannowsky at Smashwords

Copyright © 2009 by Ivan Bannowsky

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

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*****

For you, Son,

No.... You're The Man!

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Table of Contents

Preface

Dear Son, Letter

Chapter 1 - Health

Chapter 2 – Family

Chapter 3 – Friends

Chapter 4 – Love & Relationships

Chapter 5 – People

Chapter 6 – Education & Career

Chapter 7 – Global Citizenship

Chapter 8 – Politics

Chapter 9 – Religion

Chapter 10 – Personal Finances & Affairs

Chapter 11 – Driving

Chapter 12 – Etiquette

Chapter 13 – Some Other Stuff

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Preface

The following work is a compilation of the conclusions I have drawn and beliefs I have developed from my own personal experiences and observations of humanity's way of life and the coexistence of our society. I by no means presume to claim that I am an expert on any of the topics covered in this material, but rather that I was consumed by a sense of urgency to properly communicate my opinions and advice to my son as a tool for guidance. I am not in any way attempting to portray myself as a shining pillar of morality but I do recognize the decline of civility in our society. Nor dare I claim self-righteousness and exemption from hypocrisy, quite the contrary; I have made my mistakes and will continue to do so. Yet, it is the recognition of those very faults that has allowed me to learn, in most cases the hard-way, from these indiscretions and hopefully provide my son and possibly others an advantage when encountering similar situations. It is neither my intent to exploit the sacred father-son relationship but to rather provide a mode of communication from me to my son and spread the knowledge. Finally is it not my intent to tell you or the reader how to think, but simply to think.

I can distinctly recall the epiphany I experienced where I realized that all of my thought processes, conversations, and questions of morality that I carried-out hypothetically in my mind were actually being directed toward my son as I asked myself, What would be my advice to him if he were in that scenario?. I also contemplated the various occasions where I have been asked by family, friends, and colleagues for advice and also realized that I posed the question to myself of whether it would be advice of the caliber and quality that I would offer to my son. As I began to write and record my thoughts I realized that my convictions could, at the very least, be a great catalyst for a dialogue between a father and son, mother and daughter, or for anyone for that matter. It was quite the challenge to take so many of my random thoughts and attempt to put them into an enjoyably readable and coherent context. I have never considered myself a good writer but do feel that I am a good communicator. Communication, I have found, is one of the most powerful of the human abilities and yet it is so grossly underused and undervalued. This book is written such as to