How to Set Kids Up for Success
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80This morning I read my motivational thought for the day from the Napoleon Hill Foundation. I think it’s worth sharing with you because teaches how to set kids up for success, which is what Napoleon Hill was all about. Here’s the quote, let me know what you think:
Making Life “Easy” For Children Usually Makes Life “Hard” For Them In Adulthood
Del Smith, the millionaire founder and chairman of Evergreen International Aviation, has often said, “Thank God I was born poor; I learned how to work.” Like many others who made it to the top on their own, Smith believes that the greatest gift that can be given to a child is to teach him or her the value of work. It is a gift that can never be lost or stolen. It’s a natural desire of parents to give their children material things they didn’t have as children. Such generosity, however, often deprives children of the greatest gift you can give them: confidence in their ability to take care of themselves. When you make life “hard” for your children by requiring them to learn the value of work, they will have a far greater likelihood of success as adults.
Samantha Gregory
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This piece has come at quite an interesting time for me. I have been bothered by a thought for the last few months (as my children get older and as their transgressions become more sophisticated). How does one raise law abiding, good citizens who take charge of their lives and give back to society more than they take out? How do you pass on a vision and legacy to your children? Self governance? I seem to be seeing so many examples of parents who seem to have done a good job but the fruit is not showing. I just gave a ride to a lady struggling with groceries who has adult boys who still live at home. One works and contributes while the other two bum of their brother and elderly mother. Her middle son is paying off 3 cars that were either smashed in accidents or stolen while in the possession of the youngest. The cars were all lower range luxury cars. The pain in her eyes was nearly too much to bear as she poured her soul to me a complete stranger. How do we get to that point? In my area a prominent and well respected political leader’s son has just committed suicide. He had a rap-sheet the length of a man’s forearm. It also looked like his influential mother had used her political standing to keep him out of jail a few times. A friend of mine is paying off a Mercedes stolen by and smashed by her son while he was drunk. She is paying off a car she is not driving. He decided not to study further after high school and look into some get rich quick schemes instead. Well those didn’t work out and he is in school now but is 24 starting out again and living at home. Not such a horrible example but I think of how much I had done at 24 and think it is a bit old to be bumming off your mom. I just had to show one of my younger kids some very tough love. It is sad for the whole family but I think she needs it more than we do. I feel like her whole life is at stake. One of my goals in life has always been that my kids will not just survive but thrive without me. I don’t see that happening in her life and it worries me. This article is really interesting for me in the sense that this issue bothers me and out of all my kids she has worked the least outside of the house. She has always earned extra money either doing chores for her older sister or dad. The older two have had to wake up early in the morning and go to some hard bargain driving employer. They always bail her out of whatever mess her parents will not. I wonder how different I am from the three women I mentioned earlier? I look at them and feel pity and think if they did this or that differently, make a mental note and tick off things that will not happen with my kids but here I am having to do some serious introspection and showing some tough love. I am really interested to know what do you think?