Parents/Coaches/Teachers – The Responsibility To Learn Belongs To The Athlete/Student
One of the worst things we can teach children is that people will make your life easy. That others are responsible for your learning. That you will “always” be taken care of.
Children, at an early age, need to be taught that “they” are responsible for their learning, their improvement, their grades and their success. The school teacher isn’t going to get you an “A.” The sports coach isn’t going to get you on the awards stand or that home run that wins the game. Those successes are up to the athlete/student.
I cringe when I see a coach pushing and pulling a child to short term success. The lesson that needs to be taught is the desire to improve. To look out there, see something you want, make a plan and then work hard to achieve your goal. Sure, look for some help and use the people in your life but the ultimate “desire” to go somewhere needs to be that of the maturing child. To teach them to “want” and to work hard to “get” is a special lesson all kids need to be taught.
Hold their hand throughout the process? Occasionally but not all of the time. Find solutions for them to make things easier? That doesn’t create a problem solving individual. Make sure that most of the bumps in the road are smoothed out for them? Doesn’t create a young adult capable of stumbling and then moving forward.
Too many children today are being taught that life is easy, a good life is guaranteed for everyone and that there will always be an adult to rescue them. Do we really want these children to be ill-prepared for the real world out there?
Life is not all a bed of roses.
Life does not guarantee a perfect partner will show up.
Life is better for hard workers.
Life is better for “skinned knee” children.
Life is better when the “upbringing” a child experiences is filled with challenges, encouragement, hard work, personal responsibility and a “you get what you work for” attitude.
A young adult life can be difficult for the pampered and non hard working children who believe others are responsible for their happiness and success.
Do we want prepared young adults ready to tackle a tough world out there? It begins when they are young. Tom Burgdorf Gymnet Sports on Facebook.
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