So sorry.... late with my post again!! I am in Washington again this week. The time difference always screws me up! Being late goes so well with my topic of the day, right?
I am a firm believer that the activities and such that we are involved in as children can really impact our adult lives. Even when these activities have no direct connection to our careers they still teach us things that can make us more successful and productive.
Growing up, I was extremely involved with horses. There were many responsibilities that came along with that. There was the everyday feedings and cleaning of horse stalls. I had to train almost everyday and the horses had to be kept clean. We even had to help bale hay... that's a hell of a workout!
All of this really taught me responsibility. It taught me to be a hard worker, to be dedicated, to set goals... self discipline. To be well rounded adults, we must have a good sense of self discipline.
I am on this subject because of my oldest daughter. She has never been very involved in any activities. Earlier this year, she tried out for color guard. She made it and seemed to really like it. The schedule is pretty tough, though. I think it's wearing her out.
The other day, she decided she was gonna quit. I was very disappointed. I just wanted to see her follow through with something. I think she needs this to instill the ever-important self discipline. We had talks about the commitment she had made. It effects all the other girls on her squad. The band director and even the principal got involved! In the end... she did the right thing. She's staying on the squad!
What activities were you involved in as a kid? Do you think they help mold you into the person that you are today?
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
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7 comments:
Brandy,
Excellent post and kudos to you for pointing out how her decisions can affect not only her but other people as well. That's a very valuable lesson to learn.
I wasn't involved in too many activities when I was a kid. I did play a year of soccer in a youth league which taught me the value of teamwork and practice, and I was fortunate enough to break a Guinness world record when I was younger which taught me......Not much, really.
However, I was/am involved in a local organization for the birth defect I was born with and was able to attend many national conferences relating to it. Meeting so many people that had the same thing I had taught me so much, like the meaning of courage, determination, empathy, and not to be judgmental. Those are lessons I hope I never forget.
Krys,
Guinness World Record?!? Which one?
SIS Brandy
Brandy
In a nutshell, back in 1981 we were trying to get a local charitable organization started for the birth defect I was born with and one of the ideas to get publicity was to have a jump-a-thon using those exercise mini-trampolines that were popular back then. The world record at the time was 18 hours in a row.
We had about 6 or 8 people that started jumping and by the time it was over I was the last one jumping. I managed to go 21 hours. The person in charge of the event never submitted the paperwork to Guinness so it was never published in the book but I know that I did it and that's good enough for me :)
Krys,
Way cool! No way I could have ever jumped that long!!
SIS Brandy
That was back in the good old days when I was young and....Hmm, foolish? Had more energy? Not sure which is more applicable :)
You and my wife would probably get along well, she loves horses too.
Excellent post, Brandy. I'm so glad S decided to stick with it. I agree with everything you said. Unfortunately, in today's culture I don't think a lot of parents are teaching kids about responsibility.
Like you, I'm a hard worker. I think it's because I had it ingrained in my head as a kid that if I want something, I have to work for it. Whether it be a dream or something tangible. Sometimes that means giving up having it easy or the exact way you want it, sticking with it and achieveing your goals. Self-discpline pays off in many ways. Kudos to you for preaching it!
SIS Beth
Beth,
Thanks for the kudos. I know S will have a great sense of satisfaction from her hard work. I am proud of her for making a good decision.
SIS Brandy
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