Ross Raymond Nunamaker

I’ve been reading a lot about self improvement in recent months as I consider who my true self is and how I want to live my life as a result.

Many things I’ve considered are regularly addressed and appear to be generally accepted in some form or variation.

One thing I’ve not seen is engagement with youth away from parenting/family topics.

I believe as you get older, it becomes more important to engage with youth. While there is a lot we can teach them, there is much we can learn from them.

Working in a school, after school program, coaching, giving lessons, or having some activity that has you interacting with them has very practical benefits for you.

1. They make you feel young!
2. They make you laugh and smile.
3. Once they have trust, they will seek your opinion or advice and that is satisfying.
4. They will force you to be physically active.
5. You will gain a new perspective on a range of topics
6. You can and should learn from them.
7. They give you perspective and make you consider yourself at their age, how were you similar and different?
8. Their successes large and small give you a sense of accomplishment.

I remember a teacher telling me a story about my dad. In the faculty room people were complaining about kids’ behavior, attitude etc, and my dad simply said, “each day I try to learn one thing from the kids.”

It flipped the conversation. Now that I’m in the school and coaching for the third year in a row, I see that take clearly.

Coaching has its challenges, but the daily interaction keeps you youthful. While you teach, mentor, and talk, you also have fun, often at your own expense trying to understand their world and telling them about yours.

There are different levels of success. In coaching, seeing them learn a new technique is great, but seeing them try it in a match is better, and using it successfully over and over is a testament to your patience and encouragement and their willingness to learn and be persistent.

Today, I can’t imagine not engaging with youth in some fashion, especially with my own kids in their 20s and no longer at home.