If you were to ask kids these days what they would want to say to adults, what do you think they would say?
I asked my daughters that question today. Here’s what they had to say…
Adults should be more encouraging and supportive. Instead of telling us what we’re doing wrong, it would be great to hear what we’re doing right.
They assured me that this is not a mistake I am making with them, but they can see it going on around them.
One of my daughters shared about how one of the moms on her volleyball team would really get down on her daughter and publicly humiliate her when she made a mistake.
I agreed with my girls. I think we humans are very well aware of the mistakes that we make. We don’t need others constantly reminding us or pointing it out.
Instead, we need encouragement. We need to be reminded that we are on a journey, that making mistakes is all a part of the learning process and that we just need to keep trying. If we really believe in people, we will express to them that, “Hey, it’s okay, you can do better next time.”
I don’t know about you, but I know I perform better when I’m hearing positive reinforcement rather than getting beat down with criticism or being told how I don’t measure up. This is true whether it’s coming from others or my own inner dialogue.
Also, if you’re interested in more stories like this, be sure to check out my Facebook Live posts on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in the month of July as I will be exploring more in a segment I’m calling The Daddy-Daughter Diaries. Who knows what might happen? It could be a fishing trip, a camping trip or a serious discussion.
Stay tuned!