This last weekend I had a campout with some of the guys from our youth group. It really opened up my to how much camping has changed since I was a youth. When I was younger I was in Boy Scouts. With the turmoil surrounding the Boy Scouts and the decisions they have made, I really worry about this generation of students. I learned some of the greatest life skills while I was in Boy Scouts. I picked up skills like teamwork, encouragement, trustworthiness, hard-work, and survival skills.The other times I went camping when I was younger was with my family. Statistics show that fewer boys have a father figure in their life today than in the past. Without a dad to take them camping and teach them these life skills, no wonder many teens today are struggling with identity as well as apathy.
I learned this weekend that camping has changed. Instead of having flashlights most of the light came from cell phones. To me camping means leaving technology behind. Camping to me is primitive and manly. There is something masculine about setting up your own tent, chopping wood for a fire, building a fire, and making your own entertainment. Camping to me also builds togetherness. But I saw this weekend students doing their own things. Some hung out in tents and talked and listened to music (on a cell phone!) others took a shovel and dug a random hole. When I was growing up just sitting around the fire enjoying the company of each other was enough. I also learned this weekend that storytelling is a lost art. When I asked if anyone had a story (scary or not) one of the first responses was I can look one up. Technology has taken away the need for an imagination.
Anybody that is around teenagers on a regular basis can tell you that this generation is way different than any that has come before. I don't like to point blame but I wonder who's fault it is? My grandpa will continue to work hard up until the day he dies. Not because he has to, but because it is in his blood. He does not just work, he works outside with his hands. He passed that same work ethic down to my parents. And my parents have instilled that in me. But my work ethnic is nothing compared to my grandpa's. Over the years it has become more and more diluted. I have learned that hard work is a skill that has to be nurtured and developed. I couldn't imagine if my parents had never taught me the value of hard work. Outside of our parents there is no one really teaching this important lesson to this generation of students.
At school we are taught to sit, listen, be quiet, and learn. As I look back at high school I realize I probably will not ever use 75 percent of what I learned. But we are taught if we can pass the test and make the grade that is enough. In church we are taught what we should and should not be doing to live a good, Christ-like life. Last time I checked working hard your entire life is not one of the principles preached in church. Then as we grow up and get a job we work only because we have to. Most people go to work just to get paid. I really wonder if money was not an issue, how many people would quit their job and completely stop working?
The world is changing, and frankly it scares me. This generation of students are developing a sense of entitlement. They are having more and more stuff handed to them. Parents are more concerned with just making their students happy, rather than teaching. The best example of this is the participation trophy. As someone who grew up playing sports, I have a room full of trophies. I am proud of my accomplishments knowing that I achieved something special. Hardly any of them are participation trophies, because to me those are pointless. The fact that I earned them makes them more important to me. The idea behind participation trophy is so that Johnny does not get upset that Billy got a trophy (that he earned) and Johnny didn't. But instead the opposite has become a result, Billy is upset that he earned his and Johnny didn't. So what happens next year? Billy knows he will get one even if he doesn't earn it, so he stops trying. To me this is hurting the sense of accomplishment of youth today.
This reminds me of a teacher once, that wanted to try a new way of assigning grades in a class. Instead of giving each individual student a grade she decided to give the entire class one grade. She would take the average of entire class and give it to every student. In her small class she had a couple of students that were absolutely brilliant and made an A on all of their assignments. She also had a couple that did not really care and usually made a D or F on assignments. Most of the class were average B and C students. So after the first test the class average was 85. The A students helped bring up the F students and the teacher was pretty happy with her system, but then it all went south. The next test rolled around and the students that were trying and studying hard decided that they were not going to work their butt off to only get a 85, so they only did B level work. Those who were doing C and D level work decided they didn't have to work as hard either because the A students would pick up the slack. So after the next test the class average slipped to a 70. The teacher thought it may be a fluke so decided to retest. And all the student decided to study even less and let someone else pick up their slack. By the end of the year the entire class was failing.
This generation of students are just like that class. Someone is constantly picking up their slack and in the long run it is not going to help them. Parents today are also like this class. Parents today are constantly waiting for someone else to teach their children. So my plea today is if you are a parent please take your students camping. I don't just mean literally, I mean make an impact in their life. Stop thinking someone else is going to teach your children. You should be the one who teaches them the life skills like hard work. If you are a grandparent show your kids the importance of hard work. Instead of just spoiling them with gifts and presents, give them the gift that will continue to give the rest of their life. Give them the ultimate gift of hard work.
Let's change the mindset of this generation so that their kids will not be worse off.
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