Believing In Kids to Believe In Themselves

I had the humbling opportunity earlier this month to speak to children at Fultondale Elementary School.

First - I love teaching, coaching - I love being around kids. Their innocence and how they want to learn - they take so much in, and they are just so much fun. My goal when I get these kind of opportunities is that I want to get across the message for these children to believe in themselves.

I think too many times there's so much pressure on children and if they don't do well in sports, for example, then they may not feel valuable or not feel as important as others. And that's just not true. I know from my own experiences that God has a plan for all of us.

I try not to get too much into the religious area when I speak to children in these settings - I'm not there to push one idea over another - but I do feel that it's important to share that I was able to find a place where I could draw inspiration and courage, even when I had failures. And if I can encourage children to find that source of inspiration that best suits them, I feel like I've had a productive day with them.

Kids are trying to learn and find their place - and I believe that if we can all work together as adults to provide strong, loving guidance and inspiration, they will find their talents, feel good about who they are, and believe in themselves.

With kids, you've got a real chance to make a difference. Please take the opportunity to help show them a positive path.