Modelling, Mentoring and Responsibility

I have been stewing over this topic for the better part of a week.  Trying to decide how to put my thoughts down so that people were not upset at what I had to say but took it to heart and thought about their next interactions with the youth in our community.

At a young age, children learn to Model their leaders, parents and other adults.  What seems like a simple act to an adult is a roadmap to children.  Today's youth have enough "Y's" in their roads.  Our actions should be Responsible, Appropriate and good examples of how to act.

Now, why do I feel the need to dedicate my time to this topic?  A couple of reasons really.  I am not a parent, but I have spent many years volunteering for youth organizations, following friends to minor hockey games and generally just being out and about in the youth environment.

There are adults that should be ashamed that the example they give is applauding in a hockey rink when a child is checked to the ground and not getting up, yes, I have witnessed this.  Is this REALLY why we send our children to the rink to play?  Win at all costs seems to be the motto for those parents that have the next great NHL'er in their family.  I believe in dreams and supporting our children with their dreams but there is a limit.  Does it make the child feel better that their hit has injuried another child that may have the same dream?  Probably not.

I witnessed another activity, a bottle drive.  I have participated in many.  We even encourage our youth to promote the drive weeks earlier so that they do not have to wake their supporters in the early morning on drive day.  This notice often comes in the form of a flyer that can be attached to the donation.  Clearly marked for the day, our children go out on their routes only to find others, often accompanied by adults, helping themselves to our donations.  True, it is just a bag of bottles, but children have set goals and worked hard to achieve them.  My issue is that the adults support the activity of taking something that is not theirs.  What quality does this promote in our children.  Now this is a small example and a relatively small one at first glance, but it has a lasting impression.
All I ask is that as a Mentor, Role Model and Responsible Leader, we set the right example.

Our children have great opportunities in front of them.  We, as leaders in the community, have a great opportunity to support them.  There is no "grey" when it comes to making the right decision and setting the right example, it is black and white.  It is "right" or it is "wrong".  Let's make an effort to be the Generation that sets the clear path to success with our children, they only want to make us proud, don't make it a difficult choice for them.