Tomorrow is the first day of school in my neck of the woods.  New clothes, new school supplies, new haircuts, new experiences, new beginnings.  And in our home, a new tradition is starting.  Or more accurately, a new daily after-school question, complements of Condoleezza Rice.

I remember once hearing an interview Rice gave where she shared a skill her parents taught her as a child—one that she attributed to much of her success in life.  As I listened, I’m not sure what I expected her to say, but I’m sure it wasn’t, “My parents instilled in me the love of questions.”

The love of questions?  How can that be?  According to her, when she was growing up, her parents asked her the same question when she came home from school every day.  They asked her, “What questions did you ask today?”   Not, How was your day? or What did you learn today?, but “What questions did you ask today?”

Each day her parents reinforced what they wanted her to do.  They wanted her to ask questions.  To seek answers.  To be curious.  To obtain more knowledge.  I don’t know, maybe they also wanted her to not be shy.  To stand out.  To set a positive example for her peers.  To exude confidence.  To trust herself….  Continue Reading