By Antwaun Thompson

In recent years, there is a narrative that depicts the next generation of leaders as lazy, entitled, selfish, etc. My first question is always, “What are you doing to change this narrative?” By continuing to indulge this thought process, we are only enabling its perceived behavior.

As you well know, there are many variables to raising children, both in and outside the home and educational environments. Through these variables, there are huge rewards for parents/caregivers and educators, when kids are empowered for success.

Education is one of the most powerful tools that can help teens to become successful adults. It is important for parents and educators to empower teenagers with knowledge and skills needed to develop into independent and capable adults. Teaching teens how to think, interact, problem solve and make healthy choices will help them grow up confident and prepared for adulthood.

Educating teens involves providing them with a positive environment where they can learn without fear or judgment. This includes developing good relationships between teenagers, educators and parents/caregivers, as well as encouraging critical thinking by introducing open-ended questions that will allow students to express their thoughts in creative ways.

Developing teenagers requires more than just delivering information; it also means helping them understand the importance of decision making and taking responsibility for their actions. Therefore, educating teens must include teaching them about ethics and morals as well as building character traits such as self-discipline and perseverance that will equip them with life skills necessary for success in adulthood.

Inspiring young people means creating an environment which encourages creative accomplishments through difficult tasks like learning a new language or discovering something unknown. This can involve letting teens explore different passions while striving towards measurable goals which are congruent with societal values so they may grow into responsible citizens who contribute positively toward society.

Parents have an important role alongside teachers when seeking to successfully empower teens through education , development ,and inspiration. By playing this supportive role, kids feel secure enough to come out of their ‘shells’ academically, while also feeling motivated during times of adversity.

Once you have created an environment that is devoid of complexities and empowered your kids with simple yet important goals to build their confidence in their leadership abilities, this so called negative narrative will change to a more positive one.

 

Antwaun Thompson is a youth personal growth and development coach in Salisbury.