Opportunities and Expectations - where are yours?

In Boys & Girls Clubs, we have an outcome plan that includes "The 5 Key Elements for Positive Youth Development" called "Opportunities and Expectations." I want to take a second to give my definition of these two major words. As an adult, I often have to remind myself that everyday is an opportunity. We are given the chance to be the best person we can be through our profession, as a parent, volunteer, in our faith and through our daily actions. Even as a young adult, the opportunities that we are given are really those that will end up determining our future. In my eyes, the expectations that are set for yourself are the ones that will allow you to achieve those opportunities. At some point in your life you have to make a decision. It's not really a DIRECT decision, but if you think about this, it makes sense. You make small everyday decisions that, over time, really give you more freedom. I just think about myself at age 13. When I was 13, I proved to my grandma that I was able to handle a job. Because I got a job, I was able to save money to pay for insurance while my grandma paid for my car. Because I had a car, that brought tons of responsibility on myself that I really didn't think of as a teenager, but now as an adult...wow! A 16 year old, behind the wheel? At 18, I chose to move 100 miles away from home and attend college. While there, I worked and joined a fraternity over a 4 year period, then gained my Masters degree while working full-time. I'll stop there. I promise I wasn't trying to glorify any part of my life - I truly had it great. A family (my grandmas being the majority) that REALLY supported my decisions, friends that were there every step of the way and my faith in God that really got me through various situations. Because I gained trust through my family, friends and several employers along the way, I was given more opportunities. The older I got through time, the more that was expected of me. I make more mistakes than most, every single day. Sometimes, I make life altering mistakes...in the last 5 years I would say I've probably made a horrible decision that ended in a worse consequence each and every year. We learn from those. There are many reasons why this "Opportunities and Expectations" phrase runs through my head, daily. Today was just another example. Our staff are great - I would go as far as exceptional, even, at times. Today was the first day that we asked ALL of our staff to start running a program called Power Hour (after school educational enrichment, basically). Usually, our staff really are just there to support people running programs, but today we asked them to start running them on their own. I really wanted to see where our staff were with their abilities in leading a group. While they did great, I was able to see where they were individually. As a leader, this was my opportunity to help our crew learn, which is how I am going to take it. Knowing they have the opportunity to learn more professionally and gain valuable experience, their expectation level goes up. Then (to me) their value as a person and professional continues to rise. If we were running a basic daycare and they were just expected to watch kids eat and play board games, they wouldn't gain experience or value. Sometimes, I struggle with setting TOO high of expectations for others because I basically set very high expectations for even myself. Being in Bandera, alone, has really given me the opportunity to learn more about myself, grow as a person and create new hobbies without me knowing anyone. This helps because I really care A LOT less about what other think - in turn, this is better for me! Making my personal expectation higher will present new opportunities for my future. That's the adult version. When we are adults, we also have an obligation to show kids great decision making. We show them by our actions that we are creating opportunities for ourselves AND for them. They aren't stupid, people. They get it. If you are sitting around doing nothing with your life and they see that, they won't know ANY different! That's what they will have to look up to, unless someone else gives them an opportunity. As a harsh saying, don't be upset when that kid looks to another adult to find more opportunities and expectations for themselves. They strive on it. You should, too!