Information Related to "What Is Your Children's Future?"
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What Is Your Children's Future? |
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Is the future of our children left to chance
and circumstance? Their future is in your hands by Bill Bradford |
As director of a summer camp for teens, I've noticed that when youngsters arrive at camp you can always spot the ones who are insecure in the camp environment. They are generally the ones who either withdraw and lag behind or act like bullies and begin to terrorize others. Both types are usually insecure for more or less the same reasons. Often they simply don't have their future figured out yet.
For many young people, their identity- who they are and their vision of what they can become-is either practically nonexistent or distorted. As a result, many values that their parents thought they were imparting don't seem to take root and become a permanent part of their children's character.
This may not be all that noticeable at home, but when a young person arrives at camp it becomes apparent. The camper has to immediately interact with his peers, and how the youth feels about himself manifests itself almost immediately.
One of the major objectives at our summer camps is for young men and women to experience success. We feel it is vitally important that they have a clear picture of who they are and what they can become. Their future should be one of success.
Values are taught in the context of this vision. Values make sense when young people see how those values can result in a bright future.
Some of these strong influencesñsuch as peers, television and gangsñredefine the future and teach false values that lead our children to seek short-term, counterfeit objectives palmed off as success.
Summer camps provide an opportunity for youths to experience success in a group context. They live and function among their peers for the rest of their lives. If they are accepted and accomplished in the eyes of their peers, that acceptance goes a long way to set the pattern for a successful future. At our camps we help young people create the vision of their future. This strong vision, in turn, can be their guide when false values present themselves.
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