Make Sure They Know
I'm writing this in the wake of a tragedy. There was a student last week that committed suicide at the community's high school. When you live in a town as small as the one that I live near - tragedies like this can overwhelm the town. It's horrible and sad and everything that shouldn't happen to a 16 year old. He was a provincial track star on the road to compete at Nationals next week. He hit a speed bump which threatened his next year in his sport and it was enough to push him over the edge - to feel like there was nothing else that he could live for. Only he will know what was in his head and heart or what brought him to that place.
All I know is that a tragedy like this starts a fire in me. Our kids - the youth that are in each one of our lives need to know that they are loved, valued, and cherished by us. They need to hear it. Parents, teachers, leaders, directors, friends, family - all of us - we need to step up to the plate and never assume that they just know it. Tell them - use your words and use them often.
Our kids need to know that their value doesn't lie in their success in sport or academia. It doesn't lie in how well they sing or dance or how funny they are. Their value is that they are their own person. Unique and cherished. And each one of them is capable of great things. They need to know that failure isn't permanent and that it doesn't define who they are - that failure is one step in a learning process that can cause great growth and great strength. They need to have the courage to fail and rise and fail again because even in their failure - and most loudly in their failure - they need to HEAR that they are loved, that they are valued, and that they are not alone as they rise and grow and keep going. This is what they need to know.
So break the cycle of lies that are told and that creep into our kids' heads each day. The lies that say that they aren't good enough, that they will never achieve anything, that failure is forever and that life cannot be enjoyed without perfection. Start today by breaking those lies and then break them again tomorrow and the day after that. Recalibrate you're kid's belief in themselves - speak hope and peace in your home. Speak love and speak it often.
All I know is that a tragedy like this starts a fire in me. Our kids - the youth that are in each one of our lives need to know that they are loved, valued, and cherished by us. They need to hear it. Parents, teachers, leaders, directors, friends, family - all of us - we need to step up to the plate and never assume that they just know it. Tell them - use your words and use them often.
Our kids need to know that their value doesn't lie in their success in sport or academia. It doesn't lie in how well they sing or dance or how funny they are. Their value is that they are their own person. Unique and cherished. And each one of them is capable of great things. They need to know that failure isn't permanent and that it doesn't define who they are - that failure is one step in a learning process that can cause great growth and great strength. They need to have the courage to fail and rise and fail again because even in their failure - and most loudly in their failure - they need to HEAR that they are loved, that they are valued, and that they are not alone as they rise and grow and keep going. This is what they need to know.
So break the cycle of lies that are told and that creep into our kids' heads each day. The lies that say that they aren't good enough, that they will never achieve anything, that failure is forever and that life cannot be enjoyed without perfection. Start today by breaking those lies and then break them again tomorrow and the day after that. Recalibrate you're kid's belief in themselves - speak hope and peace in your home. Speak love and speak it often.
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