My children are always a source of both great amusement and overwhelming frustration, but what strikes me most is there apparent lack of self-belief and determination.
They both certainly have an abundance of confidence, but this mostly manifests itself as arrogance and when faced with an actual challenge they are soon very keen to give up and consider the task impossible. What has happened to lead a generation into such a terrible crisis? I feel as parents that we have always shown them unwavering support in what they have chosen to do and been very careful to make them aware that certain things take time to realise, yet still they get frustrated by the simplest of obstacles.
I can’t deny the fact that my tolerance of complications is far, far less than my fathers so the evidence would suggest a downward trend has been occurring for many years. But what is the cause? Is it the ever increasing speed of life, or the ease at which most desires are met? Have we forgotten what it was like to work, and sometimes fight to achieve what we want?
Has our education system with it’s ludicrous focus on absolute equality and fairness left our children incapable of losing? Have they simply not been taught the basic skill of picking oneself up off the floor and carrying on? Trying and trying and trying again?
I hope that my children never lose sight of their dreams and hold on to the thought that no matter what life throws at you, you get back up and you carry on. But if one of them should find themselves lost, and in need of direction, I’ve got just the speech prepared. Thanks to Rocky Balboa…