These words are from Dr. Ben Carson when he spoke at the PPLA Summit in D.C.
Often people try to get me to fall into the victimization culture due to my up bringing and life circumstance. I feel sorry for people who think that way. People that are handed things miss out on some of the greatest joys in life, hard work and accomplishment. I did grow up in a difficult situation and I made several pour choices.
I chose not to work hard in school and my grades reflected that effort. I watched a lot of tv and didn’t pay attention in school. When the teacher would get up and teach I was lost. Being lost was a result of my choices.
I had the same brain when I was failing in school as I did when I was one of the top neurosurgeons in the world. The only difference between the two outcomes was choice.
My mom made a choice to invest in my reading by checking out a bunch of books from the public library and making me read and not letting me watch tv anymore. I began to realize that if I actually took the time to read as I was supposed to and actually do homework I found success in school. I went from being at the bottom of my class to the very top.
I had every excuse in the world to not be successful, to be a statistic, but rather the difference was, choice. I challenge parents to find a way to get your children reading no matter their age. Let reading become their entertainment. They will be mad, they won't understand, but maybe they will find a passion for reading. Reading unlocks so many doors in the mind. Next, make your children have personal accountability for everything they do. Don't let them make an excuse and for sure don't accept the excuse. The only answer is I am sorry, I will do better. Lastly, let your children fail in school. School is a safe place to develop grit and determination. Support their teachers and partner with them not your child. Your child is developing who they going to become and they need space to work through challenges, disappointment, and adversity without us as parents stepping in. Otherwise that will always be your child's default in life.
This is what we are seeing across the nation. Children that are becoming adults and have no idea how to be one. They have never had to really think on their own , or work through hard situations on their own, or understand what the word "no" means.
It effects what kind of leader they are drawn to. Do we want our children to be drawn to people that just give them what they want? I don't think we do. Then they can be bought either financially or circumstantially. How we develop our children will impact how they view the world and there is power in that. They are the voices of the future and the vote of the future. We need to remember that.
What kind of world are we creating by how we raise our children? We must all ponder that question. Are we teaching them to read for understanding, are we holding them personally accountable for their actions, and are we letting them fail in the proper environment so they don't fail in the future?
Dr. Ben Carson
A lot of great wisdom from Dr. Carson!
Lead NWA well this week!
- Dr. Keith McDaniel
