Lil' Outlaws

There are several rites of passage that come during childhood. One of these major moments is writing something in wet cement. This is important because it is one of the easiest ways illustrate to a child what it is to leave their mark on the world. Kids should know early on that they, one person, can change things in a way that will last for years and years.

The only problem is that the pavement maintenance people will do anything to stop this from happening. They do not like kids doing things to things--it makes them crazy. However, their hatred for this rite of passage teaches the child another important lesson: Making your mark is more important than obeying rules. In order to write in this cement, a child must knowingly break a rule and destroy something orderly. Beautiful.

Across the world, from Beijing to Dallas, kids need to learn early on that rules are meant to be approached on a one on one basis. Don't obey them because of existence--learn and decide which ones actually matter. Don't let the pavement maintenance people of the world keep you from expressing yourself in legal and illegal ways. Make your mark every chance you get.