The 4H Idea
I am going to be giving the Keynote address at the Southern Region 4H Volunteer Forum in Little Rock, Arkansas tomorrow. I wanted to have a napkin specifically for 4H but was having a hard time visualizing it. Luckily, as I was writing the commentary for a napkin I was drawing earlier this week I came up with this quote. It started me thinking about what I know of the 4H Organization and how it all seems to be about helping young people become who they want to become.
It’s a tricky thing, this becoming. We are constantly becoming something new in mind and in body, even us old people. But it is especially true of young people. They are going through a tsunami of becoming as they grow. Our job as parents, as volunteers, as teachers, as mentors, is to figure out the best ways to help these young people navigate through this tsunami of change.
I love the simplicity of the 4H idea: Becoming takes place in four arenas of life; Head, Hand, Heart and Health. That is what it’s all about.
The Balancing Act
It acknowledges that our thinking, working, caring, and fitness all need to develop in balance with one another. It’s not enough just to be a model of bodybuilder perfection or look great in a bikini if you aren’t able to think critically about the world. It’s not enough to be a theoretical genius in neuroscience if you fail to love your neighbor. It’s not enough to be always working, earning all the money in the world, if you ignore your health.
Leading the Way
They all work must in concert with one another if we want to be the person we really want to be. And as any kid will tell you, they are watching our example much more than our words. So if we want our youth to be balanced, guess what? We have to lead the way.
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Drawing, commentary and quote by Marty Coleman
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I wasn’t at that conference but a friend sent me here … I wish I could have heard you spoke. My 10yo is in 4H and loves it. It’s our second year. I love all the options for the kids and you are so right about letting them become who they are {even though sometimes it’s really hard for me to not push her into being who I want her to be}.
Love the drawings too. We just may have to buy the poster to help us remember!
Thanks Brandie! It is hard to not push in the direction of your idea, and in many cases they might be open to it if you push lightly and they are so inclined. I mean jocks often raise jocks, artists raise artists, engineers raise engineers. The key to remember is the child tells you who he or she is as they grow, they might be like you, they might not. Let them show you who they are, you’ll see it clearly if you pay close attention. M
Marty,
A 10 fold thank you!! Your presentation was on target and got folks thinking. Thank you for sharing your time, talent and insight. More over, thank you for taking time with the 4-H volunteers on Friday morning. It was greatly appreciated.
Respectfully, Karla
Thanks Karla, I greatly appreciate that. The forum participants were very responsive to the message and I enjoyed meeting so many the next day. I look forward to staying connected to 4H into the future. M
Thank you so much for your presentation this evening! Your words were inpiring and your drawings even more so!
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for the compliment and taking the time after the presentation to come by the table and talk. Did you see the next morning’s post? It has the drawing of you in it, in color. Good luck with the your continuing creative work and web design. Keep plugging away at WordPress, it will make sense little by little! Always something new to learn, isn’t there.