Let’s prepare the kids who are going to take over the world.
Kids are taking over Owensboro Parent magazine this month, and it’s always interesting and fun to see their creative advertising designs and read their articles.
Children have so much to teach us if we are willing to learn.
I am always a little perturbed when I hear people saying things about “kids these days.” I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of examples yourself:
›› Kids just sit around and stare at video games these days.
›› Kids don’t know how to entertain themselves these days.
›› Kids don’t play outside these days.
›› Kids are spoiled these days.
›› Kids are disrespectful these days.
›› Kids don’t know the value of hard work these days.
›› Kids can’t even write cursive these days.
I’m sure you’ve probably seen this quote before, but it’s worth repeating: “The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise.”
Who said that? Yep, good old Socrates, more than 2,000 years ago.
The point is, every generation considers themselves to be ideal citizens, and those “whippersnappers” are not measuring up. But let’s set that concept aside for the moment, and look at it another way.
Here’s the deal:
Kids will take over only as much as adults will hand over.
Think about that.
If we, as adults, are concerned that kids are sitting around staring at video games and screens all day, first of all, why are we allowing them so much access to technology? Take the devices away and engage your children or grandchildren in “real” activities. Of course, this requires us adults to also unplug, so maybe that’s why this doesn’t happen as often as it should.
So kids aren’t outdoors as much as we were? If for whatever reason you don’t have access to a yard of your own, Owensboro is blessed with an abundance of parks and outdoor recreation spaces. If work and other obligations prevent parents or grandparents from taking kids, reach out to your kids’ friends’ families and try to schedule trade-offs: You take the kids to the park this afternoon, and I’ll take them walking on the Greenbelt this weekend.
If kids are disrespectful and spoiled, the first place to look for solutions is in the mirror. What lessons are kids learning from our examples? How do we talk about other people? How do we react when someone zips into that parking place ahead of us? Are we proud of the messages we post on social media?
If kids can’t read or write cursive, do math “the right way,” bake a cake, change a tire, or any of the other things we imagine we excelled at as children – teach them. Not only will the child learn a new skill, but he or she will also learn that you value spending meaningful time with them, which might be the best lesson of all.
If you want to grow a garden, you don’t just toss a handful of seeds out the back door and assume the sun and rain will take care of the rest. No, you have to get out there and do a little digging, get your hands dirty, pull some weeds, do some mulching, add some fertilizer, and really invest time and energy.
Kids are the same – except even more.
So as we celebrate all the amazing kids who have taken over this issue, let’s think about ALL the kids who are going to take over the world … and let’s provide the guidance, support and encouragement they need to succeed.
