An “end of week” thought.
An “end of week” thought.
Young children, rightly so, grow in their early years relying on others for just about everything. One of the important “light bulb” moments in their maturity comes when they look around and determine that THEY can have an effect on themselves and their life. Each year they find more and more opportunities to evaluate and make decisions. They learn that one of the most important people they can rely on is THEMSELVES. Parents, teachers and coaches can be important guides in this maturity process.
But if we do too much for the children. If we protect them too much. If we pamper them too much. If we don’t allow them to struggle a little. If we don’t give them those few precious seconds to tie their own shoes, we will stifle their learning of the “I can rely on myself” lesson.
Life boils down, in some ways, to having confidence in yourself. Waking up in the morning and saying, with confidence, “I’ve got this.” Not “I will call Mom for advice,” or “I am sure they will give me a second chance,” but “I, me, can handle this.” Yes, it is great that we surround ourselves with people who can help us but the game gets better when we can handle more of life on our own.
Pay the rent by ourselves. Pay the car payment by ourselves. Decide what food makes us healthier. Live life without the crutch of credit and debt and advise. These thoughts have to be part of the maturing of our young people. Think before you act because there are repercussions. Some more serious than others. Don’t rely on being “saved” all of the time. In life, there isn’t a safety net there every day. We are doing a poor job of training our young people if the lesson is there is an automatic safety net for them. Or that “everything will be okay.”
The most important person you should be able to rely on is yourself. A special lesson for a prepared young adult as they “drive away,” to their independent life. Allow them to learn that they are capable of handling more and more themselves. (If you like this message, share with your friends who are parents, teachers or coaches.) Tom Burgdorf and Gymnet Sports on Facebook
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