Are You Raising One of the Next Generation of Hoodlums – Encouraging Thankfulness
Giving thanks is on a lot of people’s minds during the early days of November, and even more so as Thanksgiving grows approaches. And for parents and guardians who are in the process of rearing black boys, this is an ideal time to assess whether or not you are raising them so that you can be thankful for and appreciate spending time with them. Since this is a personal assessment, honesty is essential. As part of your personal assessment, you might ask yourself and answer the following questions:
- Do I honestly look forward to spending time with my son?
- Do I get upset when school closes for unplanned reasons and I must either make arrangements for and monitor my own son?
- Is my son so respectful and obedient that the time he spends with me and in the presence of other adults is a pleasant experience?
These are just a few assessment queries. There are numerous personal others that can assist you to determine if you are raising your child in such a way that you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he is certainly unlikely to be numbered one of the next generation of hoodlums. You know that hoodlums are not born. They are made. And they don’t make themselves.
God allows the vast majority of babies to be born normal and healthy; pretty close to perfect! And what takes place in each boy’s life during early childhood and adolescence will determine, to a significant degree, whether or not he becomes one of the next generation of hoodlums. Boys who are loved and nurtured and consistently involved in positive, age-appropriate activities usually continue to be healthy and normal as they make the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Boys, however, who are left to their own devices, boys without proper role modeling and supervision and/or nurturing, boys who are browbeaten and talked negatively to with regularity, are a lot more likely to land in this unsavory category.
Parents: take the time to give your sons what the old timers referred to back in the day as hometraining. Teach them to answer their elders with a respectful, “Yes Mam” or “Yes Sir.” Teach them that it is inappropriate to interrupt adults’ conversations. AND DON’T ALLOW THEM TO INTERRUPT YOURS! Teach them to be respectful of their teachers, other adults in their lives, and all authority figures. Involve them in positive, age-appropriate activities continually throughout their childhood and adolescence. Yes, all of this takes time and effort, but it is time and effort well spent. It is time and effort that will eventually become your most important investment! PARENTS: WILLINGLY INVEST!
Special note: Readers are invited to tune in to Dr. Teal’s internet radio talk show. The link is www.kebnradio.com. 10 a.m. Saturday mornings CST. You’re also invited to visit www.untealthen.com and to check out her BLOG.
