If You Hide From The Rain, You Will Never Learn How To Deal With The Mud:

Today, where I live, we have flash flood warnings, and rain forecasted all day. The leadership of our public schools decided to close all schools in our parish. First off, I'm not second-guessing their decision. I know what it's like to be the one making decisions that affect a lot of lives. It's not easy, and you are not going to please everyone. You're a dunce if you choose to close and the weather isn't as bad. If you don't close and something tragic happens, it defines you and your career is ruined. How many dragons you slayed over the years will mean nothing. I also know the leaders at the school board who are making those decisions today. I know them very well; they are top-tier leaders, the best you can get. I know they made the decision they thought was best. Being a leader at any level is hard; being in a position where the buck stops with you is the hardest. But, those who chose to sit in the "swivel seat" know when it's time, you better start swiveling.

Here lies the problem: as stated, no matter what they do, it will not be correct by some, probably many. Because of that, leaders become too cautious sometimes and make decisions because they do not want the backlash. They don't want to be criticized on social media because someone's kids got their feet wet. I'm not saying that this is the case today. But I do know decisions get made because of that at times. That's not on them; it's on us as a society.

This past week, I have focused on being a "man's man" and not raising weak men. The statement is about men, but I feel the same about women. We have to raise strong adults, regardless of gender. We have to raise adults who know how to navigate obstacles. We have to teach them to jump over the barriers and steamroll the barricades of life. If they are never forced to deal with the rain, they will never learn how to handle the mud. 

Handling the "mud" of life is essential to being a strong adult. There will be rain, and that rain will create mud. Instead of hiding from it, deal with it. Put your raincoat on, get your umbrella, put on your rubber boots, and go out and get some! Get a taste of the bad weather. Teach them to create contingencies to deal with the rain of life. Teach them to explore alternate routes. Teach them to adjust their driving and what to look for to help navigate. This will also ensure they have the type of emergency gear required in an emergency.

Again, I'm not critical of our administrators; we dictate how they handle things sometimes. I'm also not criticizing parents for being concerned about their kids. But, teaching them to deal with obstacles is a way of living. If we let the obstacle get in the way, the obstacle becomes the way. We also say we want to keep the government from telling us what to do. Well, sometimes, our actions show otherwise. 

If your kids are off today because of weather or any other reason in our nation, don't let the day go to waste. Use their scheduled school day as a learning day. Teach them to face the rain and deal with the mud that comes with it.