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Parents

Sending the Right Message

Kids can achieve amazing improvement and reach wonderful personal goals if the right person gives them the right message. Most of us would agree that from CEOs to small business owners, from presidents to parents, we can all benefit from the interest and guidance of an effective mentor. As adults, we are capable of wise choices when selecting mentors.

When I was playing in the NBA, I knew I wanted to be the best professional basketball player I could be. So I asked Stu Lantz, a ten-year NBA veteran, to broaden my understanding of the physical and mental complexities of the game. I asked Phil Tyne, a strength coordinator for the San Diego Chargers, and Pete Babcock, General Manager for the Atlanta Hawks, to advise me on physical training so that I could increase my weight, strength, and vertical jump. The results were not only exciting for me, but also measurably successful! As an adult, I knew whom to ask for help and how to approach them effectively.

But did you know that kids between nine and eighteen are afraid to ask for help? Your child will need your wisdom on this one. Be careful in your choice of a mentor for your child. The attitude of that coach, uncle, aunt, family friend, or professional can make or break your child's view of him or herself. Make sure that mentor shares your fundamental beliefs regarding your child's development and dreams. And remember, kids are as absorbent as sponges; they soak up outside influences forcefully. If you don't find a positive third party influence for your child, he or she will choose one for him/herself -- usually a rock star, actor, or athlete whose beliefs and impact may or may not help your youngster.

--Jim Brogan

Jim Brogan has a varied background as NBA basketball player, professional speaker, instructor, author, and financial analyst.

Excerpted from Inspiring Others to Win, edited by Robert B. Sommer
© 1998 by Griffin Publishing Group
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