I’d like to take a minute and speak to the younger readers and the parents. Since I became a father, all of my priorities changed overnight.
I have done quite a bit of reflection and observation since then and have adjusted my compass. I’ve also observed a lot of things that I think need to change in our country.
If you know me, you are thinking: “here he goes on politics”. You are wrong. I am going to talk about the younger generation and our kids.
Let me start off with saying that by no means, am I a perfect person, role model or parent.
We all have flaws.
I do try and be the best father that I can be, and taking a life lesson learned from my good friend Rich Angelo, I try to be better every day.
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| Rich is on the right side. |
Some days I hit the mark, some days I don’t. I also realize that I need to teach my son how to be a good man and a good person.
Kids only know what they are taught.
I must teach him the right way and guide him to adulthood so that he will be strong, both mentally and physically, smart, self-sufficient and a problem solver. Not a problem causer.
One of the things I am teaching him is the value of health and strength.
He is learning these lessons now in the gym and on the playing field. I have learned over the years that what you do in sports and in the gym can build your character and expose weaknesses in in it to be improved.As Dave Tate says, you learn life lessons Under the Bar. He wrote a book by that title and I highly suggest that you read it.
Life lesson learned under the bar are invaluable. Strength training and sports build character.
They teach that you must not to quit, ever. If you want to be successful, you must earn it.
Nothing is handed to you and you don’t deserve anything.
You must work for it. This was taught to me at a young age and through my life.
It seems that is not so much the case now. I see a lot of younger people feeling that they have a right to things, a sense of entitlement. Something is owed to them.
Of course this is not all of them, but it is many.
It seems it is predominant in the culture now. I have discussed this many times recently with my friends who own businesses and they all agree.
I have a message for you, nothing is owed to anyone.
Not me, not you.
We all create our own destiny and success.
Success is bred on hard work, dedication, an undying thirst to be better and a will to never give up.
The sooner each of us acknowledges this and then strives to be better each day, even in one small way, the better we as a nation will be.
We need to teach our children that hard work is required, in school, in sports, in life.
Hard work breeds success. They say that after a certain age, parents have little influence on their kids.
Research is saying that the peer group is more influential than the parents, especially in the teenage years. I will disagree here partially.
Especially coming from the background that I did and having the peer groups that I had.
If you believe what the experts say on this topic, I am dead or in prison due to my peer groups in my youth and early teens.
Sorry, I chose to associate myself with a new peer group upon entering high school. Why, the examples and lessons set by my uncles and grandfather, and then mentors I sought out as I got a little older.
Without the guidance and lessons from them I would not be the person I am today. They taught me to do things for myself, to figure out how to fix something and solve problems, and if I couldn’t, to ask for help.
They taught me to stand up for myself and to fight my own battles.
They taught me to be strong as a person. Rich is one of the influences who taught me to be strong physically (and mentally). I always had the desire as long as I can remember to be strong physically.
Maybe it was due to where I grew up, or maybe it was from watching the Wide World of Sports on T.V. as a kid.
Who knows?
The point here?
Teach your children from the youngest of ages to be strong: mentally, physically and in character.
Teach them the value of an honest day’s work and that things are not owed to them.
Teach them to create their own opportunities through education, effort, a desire to be the best and through hard work.
Teach them about U.S. and world history. A lot of lessons for the future come from the past and school isn’t teaching that anymore.
Those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it.
Teach them to give back and be charitable.
Teach them to be self-sufficient and to be able to solve their own problems. No one is going to solve problems for them.
Teach them how to be successful, even if you are not.
Please don’t take this as an angry rant. It is not.
I was fortunate enough to have great influences and I feel it saved me. I also feel that I owe that to my son.
I owe that to the greatest country in the world.
It is MY job to prepare my son to be a winner and a leader so that he can be successful.
I want all of your children to be successful too, so I thought I would take the time and share some observations with you all.
If you are one of our younger readers, take this to heart. If you don’t have a lot of positive influences, find a mentor. If your peer group is not the greatest, find a new one. Create your own destiny.
Thanks for hearing me out.
Murph
