Teach Them to Hunt

I enjoy reading and hearing about the kids of friends and family who have been successful in life. This one opened his own business and I am as proud of him as I would be of my own. Another is in his final year of medical school. Others are nurses, social workers (REAL proud of her), teachers, lawyers (good luck with that) and many others have earned degrees and gained employment in all types of rewarding professions.

These "kids with class" have grown up understanding that the world does not owe them a living. They did the things in high school and college and beyond to establish themselves as capable adults able to provide for their families. And these kids I speak of are RESPECTFUL of those that have more experience and wisdom. Respect is another quality that defines class and dignity.

I could probably point to a lot more losers than I could winners. I'm asked over and over again why. In fact one semi-famous person actually ask me to take his son home with us and raise him like my sons were raised, hoping for good results for his son. Of course we didn't and I am not even going to tell you the outcome with this boy. It'll break your heart. But the reasons were pretty obvious looking at the parenting involved.

In the natural world animals spend a few weeks nurturing and feeding their young. Then it's straight to business; learn to stalk, hunt, kill and eat your prey. Or you die.

It's a harsh lesson, but it's reality. If animal parents continued to feed their youngsters, they would never be capable of feeding themselves. And when the parents are finally unable to feed them, they die.

Our kids don't have to kill to eat but they need to learn the skills that enable them to survive in the harsh conditions of life. Those skills are learned early on and continue through life.

When someone comes to me and the kid's 17, then ask what can I do, I can't offer them anything. What needed to be done is already past. It's what you do at 5 and 6 years old that counts.

Teach a child to love and respect those that have wisdom to offer them, to listen and learn from those that have values to teach them, and to admire those with success and aspire to create their own successes and you will never need to worry about them or feed them when they are adults. Unless you want to. And that's another story.