Where are the encouragers? The supporters of all things good? The “hope dealers”? We know they are out there. (I see the stories every day!)
What I am going to share is personal. Call it editorial, if you will, but it is something I am very passionate about. Why? It involves children, and in this case, family. Anyone who knows me, knows family is important to me. And they know young people are important to me. Whether it is in my home, my church or my community.
The following happened to my granddaughter. (And if happens to one, it happens to others.) {{more}}
On Sunday night, we sat at dinner and my daughter shared the following…
“Mariah is rolling her eyes, but I am going to tell you. (Mariah is my oldest granddaughter.) Mariah is on the JV Softball League in her school. They went 10-0 and had no mention. The year book left them out as well as all the spring sports.”
A conversation ensued. I asked my granddaughter, if she was going to do anything about it. She told me, “Grandpa. It’s not as if it is a world problem. I am a realist.”
Those words hit me like a knife.
A “reality” that woke me in the middle of the night, for her and all the young people I know.
I have battled over writing this. Why? I did not want to be seen as emotional, a justice seeker, or protecting her from something. To think not being supported, is “okay” because it is not “that big a deal”, does not work for me.
The rest of that conversation, revealed that there are only 2 students on the yearbook committee, along with a teacher who acts as an advisor. In their school, the yearbook is a class and not an extracurricular offering. As a class, it apparently does not offer the value of a worthwhile credit.
I am not hear to demean their policy or their procedure.
This morning I was listening to Stevie Winwood and I was reminded of my own hopes and dreams. My youth. I had to fight through things. (Last night, my brother and I were talking about our youth. Misspent as some of it was, we did things.) But, I always felt there was hope.
Crushed hopes, disappointments, and disappearing dreams. Children not seeing the good, or their efforts minimized. I am not “good” with that.
Thinking on this, I realized that many have never “left the harbor”, let alone had the opportunity to fail on the rocks of reality.
I am not an advocate of “everyone wins” though I see the value for that on many levels. I am a grandfather and a father. I am her grandfather. I played sports as a young child, and coached or managed as well. Community and family support were there. I work with lots of young people. We had few single parents, and things were admittedly different. (I assure you, I am no Pollyana.)
Today our schools and communities have different challenges than I did, or my parents did. I understand that. Yet support ought not be an option. (I get this is JV and not Tball. But if you want them to play, support them!)
The fact is that we have young people who give their heart for something. (Some would say, that ought to be enough. I disagree.) We ask them to be less self-obsessed, off their devices, and participating, and then when they do, they receive no recognition. Uhhh, I don’t get it.
I understand budgets, people and all of that, but folks, we are going to have to put “our money where our mouth is”. That’s all.
People who have their dreams crushed turn to other things. Many of those not healthy for them, or their communities.
“Well, it us up to the parents.”
Then, why do we have schools? Teams?
I am excited that my granddaughter’s team went 10-0. I would be excited if she played and went 0-10.
Let’s not let it stop there.
Children are our future. Will we do what it takes to see them embrace it, or will we treat it like we do Facebook? Like/Dislike… Next
I hope not.
I never “complain” about something without providing some solutions. (“Suck it up” is not a solution.)
- A local restaurant does a pizza party for the team. Maybe supporters provide the monies. (Like those two barbershops, I posted about last week.)
- A local photographer does a team photo. (Perhaps another pays for them.)
- A business develops a yearbook, and the kids sell snacks or something. (The current book is $55. Two kids in high school.)
- A card of support and thank you!
- If you are going to ask children to serve their community to graduate, (A “reward”) then show them representing their community to other schools and teams ought to have a reward.
