We had a good turnout for our camp this past week. The kids did a super job of listening and trying to learn.
Our theme this week was what Tom Izzo, from Michigan State, says, "listen to learn, learn to listen."
As we finished up camp yesterday we encouraged the parents and campers with three points to think about as they left our campus. We also wanted them to think about the rest of the summer.
1. " It’s not what you achieve it’s what you become."
The accolades you receive are not as important as the person you become. Just because you don’t achieve the greatest stats or awards it doesn’t affect your character. Focus more on who you are a person on the inside than your status.
2. "Don’t give up, don’t ever give up"
During Coach Jim Valvano’s impassioned speech at the ESPY’s before his death he used this line. Don’t give up on your kids no matter how much they frustrate you and drive you crazy. They have a chance to be molded into something special.
Kids need to do the same thing. Allow you parents to be parents. Don’t give up on them trying to learn to be better parents. They will make mistakes and they most often will try to get better.
3. What You Think of Me is None of My Business.
This is actually the title of a book by Terry Cole Whitaker. No matter how hard we try we can’t please everyone. There is no sense even trying to make everyone in our circle happy. If as a coach I try to make all of our players happy we will not have a very good chance of having a good team. If a teacher tries to make all the students happy then there probably will not be a lot of learning going on in that classroom
If you try to make your kids happy all the time you will not be able to provide them the discipline they need. We know that if our kids try to make all their friends happy and try to please everyone they will end up in a lot of trouble especially if they end up in the wrong crowd. Even being in the good crowd can give them problems because it would be impossible to keep all those friends happy. What others think of you is none of your business. You have to be happy in your own skin and realize God made you in a special way for a special purpose.
Pete Maravich Assembly Center
