I have worked with many kids of all ages. both as a coach in youth sports (soccer which i had never played in my own youth) and as an employer. I have found so many of them to be truly wanting to learn. Even those who were not the greatest of students in the classroom were quite willing to learn when they realized that learning did not always need to come from text books. In fact, there has often been an awakening once a lad learned that real life actually did relate to what had been learned in the classroom. I was not always the most pleasant person to work with as an employer when working with many of those teanagers, but in later years, many have come to me to tell me how much they appreciated how much I had taught them. Some have even taken up the trades I had taught them with threats of finding a foot planted in their you know where. They knew what was honest when they were yelled at. (I had one teen who later went into the marines. In boot camp, one of his Sergeants took to a yelling session (those who have been in the military know what that could be) where he was rattling the walls around him. As he finally ran out of breath, the lad looked him in the eye and said,"you know, i used to work for a guy who could yell twice as loud as you." And, nearly 50 years later, we are still good friends. teens understand a whole lot more than many of us O.F.'s give them credit for.
Nick, so what if the lad says F.O. I had thought about sending him a note, which action Craig has beat me to the punch. This kid has learned, and gives credit to some of those who have taught him. (especially his grandfather) he may not have learned proper methods. If he is lucky, he will still be able to count to ten without taking off his shoes in his old age. He has had his problems along the way, but is trying to straighten his life out. Some of us have had easy lives with the good fortune to have had good teachers along the way. Others have had it a little less in the good fortune area. I don't have any idea how many bloody noses this kid has had, but he evidently has been running wild for much of his life. I know a little bit about being in trouble with cops as a teenager. (maniac driver and I do mean maniac) I also know how much I learned from those same cops who in later years were actually good buddies. (yeah, even drinkin' buddies) It doesn't always take a tremendous effort to help a kid along so long as there is honesty and sincerity in the straightening out process.
I gotta go. rain on the way and lawns to seed before it does.
Tinker
Nick, so what if the lad says F.O. I had thought about sending him a note, which action Craig has beat me to the punch. This kid has learned, and gives credit to some of those who have taught him. (especially his grandfather) he may not have learned proper methods. If he is lucky, he will still be able to count to ten without taking off his shoes in his old age. He has had his problems along the way, but is trying to straighten his life out. Some of us have had easy lives with the good fortune to have had good teachers along the way. Others have had it a little less in the good fortune area. I don't have any idea how many bloody noses this kid has had, but he evidently has been running wild for much of his life. I know a little bit about being in trouble with cops as a teenager. (maniac driver and I do mean maniac) I also know how much I learned from those same cops who in later years were actually good buddies. (yeah, even drinkin' buddies) It doesn't always take a tremendous effort to help a kid along so long as there is honesty and sincerity in the straightening out process.
I gotta go. rain on the way and lawns to seed before it does.
Tinker
