Had the pleasure of witnessing the behavior of youth tonight as a reflection of their parents, and it’s really sad.
When your child has so much anxiety about their family’s issues that they have to be homeschooled, but when in public, has the audacity to throw dirty looks and whisper about people who only ever tried to be their friend—to “friends” they only ever talked badly about until they became the only “friends” left when reality settled.
Can’t blame them when that’s how one is raised. Monkey see, monkey do. To think they’re better than everyone.
Our children may not be the most popular. They may not have a phone full of invitations or a crowd of people constantly asking them to hang out.
But what they do have is something I wouldn’t trade for all the popularity in the world.
They have good intentions. They know the meaning of loyalty. They understand kindness, respect, responsibility, and hard work. They value their education, show discipline, have manners, and know that how you treat people matters—even when nobody is watching.
And for that, I am incredibly proud.
We haven’t been accused of stealing money, inappropriate actions at an overnight camp, suspended from playing our favorite sports, fired as a coach, or had our integrity questioned by an entire community. And we don’t expect someone else to raise our children, picking them up and dropping them off at school.
We’ve never claimed to be perfect parents, and we’ve certainly never raised perfect children. We’ve made mistakes, learned lessons, and navigated our share of difficult moments. But we’ve always tried to lead by example, take responsibility for our actions, and raise children who understand that integrity isn’t something you turn on and off depending on who’s around.
Because at the end of the day, reputations aren’t built on what we say about ourselves. They’re built on how we treat others, the choices we make, and the example we leave behind.
So, as this rainy homecoming evening comes to an end, I’m choosing to focus on gratitude.
Gratitude for my family, for our children, and for the values we’ve worked so hard to instill in them.
Popularity fades. Friendships change. People show their true colors.
But character, kindness, loyalty, and integrity? Those are the things that will carry our children further than popularity ever will.
Life really is a beautiful blessing when you take the time to appreciate the people and things that truly matter. ❤️