By: James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D
I am an African American man who was born, raised and nurtured a long time ago. The sand in my hourglass is running out. That is simply the passing of life. It happens for all of us.
Let’s just say I am a proud member of the old school. When I am in the public square, I am called Pops or OG by complete strangers. For men like me, those are considered terms of pride and admiration.
Thankfully, I’ve been around long enough to understand and appreciate those compliments. You see, many of us have gone on to glory. Being in my right mind with a portion of health and strength aren’t taken lightly.
During my career in public and higher education, I offered advice to students about deportment and it was well received. Some former students who I have run into over the years have thanked me again for that sage wisdom.
Now, I still give success tips to this current generation of future leaders. I believe it has also been well received.
As the years have gone by, I realize how fortunate I was to have been raised in the East Winston section of Winston-Salem NC. In that community, I received the start of my behavioral standards that have remained with me.
My home training began with my parents. They provided me with the foundation for successful living. I have not wavered from the script that they gave me.
It was layered in self-respect.
There is a song by The Staple Singers entitled, Respect Yourself. When you have a chance listen to it as it has an encouraging message.
Back in the day, we had great respect for adults. Being polite and courteous were attributes that all of us as children had. We spoke in a respectful tone and acted like we had some sense.
We represented our families well wherever we went. That was the standard and the expectation. Being contrary wasn’t in the cards. For example, while at school, parents were rarely called about an unruly child.
Teachers were well respected and classrooms were places where learning took place. Dreams of what we could be were shaped and molded there.
I realize more now that my environment was different than today’s environment. Overall, it’s still my strong belief that parents want what is best for their children. I think all of us would agree with that assertion.
Yet there are some differences in our neighborhoods today. Technology has played a major role in keeping children inside and playing games on their computers instead of being outside with their friends.
Life for parents now is fast paced. Before you know it, the day has come and gone. Schedules and appointments keep them busy and sometimes a bit anxious. Trying to get dinner prepared and homework completed can be challenging. Kudos to parents for handling these tasks well. If you are old school, you have been there and you know how that works.
There is a generation of young African American children that needs our help as they grow and mature. It really does take a village to raise a child. These are some interesting times so we must provide intervention and positive engagement when we can. We can’t let them fall through the cracks because of apathy and indifference.
As African American parents and grandparents, we have a moral obligation to help our children with character development. We are their role models for this development.
Children as they mature will emulate what they see and hear. Home training (HT) starts with us. We can’t leave it to others to have a plan because we must have the plan.
If you haven’t started some HT lessons, you should begin today and not delay. Don’t wait until it’s too late and then wonder what happened.
James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D is a long-time educator who hails from Winston Salem, N.C. Ewers is a life member of the NAACP and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
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