Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Lost Without A Guide

So, nearly a month after my last posting, I'm back in the swing of things. Which, of course, includes my still ongoing mission to spread awareness and inspire fathers to engage in the lives of their children.

There's a saying I hear time and time again that goes, "Don't worry. Children are resilient." When said, "they" aren't referring to youthful bodies. They are referring to their minds. Lately, this has started to almost infuriate me. Kids are resilient why? Because they are still alive? Because they've survived? Our jobs as parents are not only to help children survive, but rather help them thrive. It is not to dismiss potentially traumatic emotional turmoil in order to save our own pride or egos. You don't say these things to justify your unwillingness to...Give your child your absolutely best beyond the shadow of a doubt. Period. Who do you think of when you make choices even remotely impacting the day to day life of your child? Kids don't remember Lexus vs. Honda. They remember present or not present. Are you a present guide in the life of your child? Kids aren't resilient. They are impacted! They hear you. They are watching you. How do you live because they are paying attention to every word, look, and move you make whether you think so or not. And when you can't relate or have zero relationship and wonder why...Perhaps it's not such a mystery. It's up to us to step towards them. Not the otherway around. And you don't give up. Ever. Our modern culture filled with overly defiant children are NOT resilient. They are impacted by the presence of their parents and/or lack there of.

The children of America need positive role models. Mentors. We can pay for it with our tax money fed to our prisons or spend some time building up the youth of America.