Life Decisions and Parents

Ok, so this is not a judgment on the parenting abilities of any of the parents that have students in our ministry. Nor is it a rip on the way that parents across the U.S. do it. However, this is a post to offer some perspective from a person that is concerned with our students' lives. Not just their spiritual lives, but their lives in general. Also, at 23, I am in no way trying to tell parents how to parent their child or tell anyone that they are parenting wrong.

With that said, I continue.

For the longest time, I have seen sports as a one of the best tools to bring a student to a place where they have strong bonds with the people around them and give them a support group, but also something to work toward; like a thing of encouragement. And for many years that I was growing up, I think that this was accomplished through most sports. But something has changed since then that has gotten parents into a tizzy about providing their kids with the best opportunity or the best chance to start on the varsity team, or whatever vicarious living aspect they are trying to attain.

Maybe this is a new advent in our area in the conservative parts of the Midwest region of the U.S. however, it is something that has started to bother me. Maybe this is because for the first time in my life, I am working with students that desire to start on the Varsity, but still want to grow in their spiritual walk. I'm not sure, but I'm confident that I am frustrated by the current state of athletics in students' lives.

In today's world, if you don't go to all the camps during the summer, make all the workouts for each sport, and are at every day of the summer two-a-day camps, students, and their parents seem to think that it becomes impossible to even see a down. Obviously, this is a little extreme, however, it may not be too far off from the truth for some parents (though, many in this spot will never admit to this being true).

So, here is my plea: Parents, PLEASE, help your students understand the priorities that they need to have IN LIFE, not just High School. Unfortunately, I've seen more great parents, assist the world in molding their son, or daughter, into what the world needs less of and have basically, restricted their students from experiencing life as a kid. You see, my plea is less about summer camp and more about their overall lives. Sure, I want each student that goes to summer camp to be there 100% of the time; I want to see make a commitment to attend Wednesday Night Youth Group and not sluff off in late April and May due to baseball. Sure, but my desire comes out of a desire to see these students grow and make life choices.

Do I understand that sometimes parents can't control schedules. Absolutely! I'm a baseball umpire, I know, first hand, that these schedules change all of the time. However, I knew a certain All-State quarterback from Wawasee that made it a point to prioritize his spiritual life. Did his parents want him to succeed at athletics because of the reward that MIGHT be at the end of his career, absolutely. But, his parents pushed him to be more than just an All-State QB. You can follow this All-State QB's travels and ministry here.

Here's the deal: Students are being forced to make "life" decisions much earlier in their lives today more than any other time in history. At their age, 14-18, these students are having to make tough decisions that, very easily, could alter the course of their lives forever. If they can't be kids anymore, then parents need to be that common sense voice that encourages "life" priorities; that offers sound advice and not just the advice that might win them a spot on the Varsity team.