Molding Young Minds

I’ve always relished the opportunity to have an impact on a child’s development. As my children grew up, I was afforded opportunities to coach softball and soccer. It’s difficult to describe the reward from witnessing a child’s realization of mastery of a skill and knowing you helped them attain that realization.

So it was with great excitement that I trudged off to Rotterdam Town Hall the other night with my daughter in tow. We attended the town meeting together as part of a school assignment but she was genuinely interested in finding out what happens at one of these meetings. She’d heard my retellings numerous times but was looking forward to a first-hand view. The agenda that evening was mundane, however, with little public participation, but we were fortunate to hear Mr. Aaron Mair address the Board about aquifer concerns anyway.

The meeting turned out routine. Too bad because sometimes it’s better than watching TV. I think my daughter was secretly hoping to witness some fireworks. Plenty of time for that, I told her, if she stays involved. I warned her that attendance at these meetings could sometimes be painful. A few moments later, this turned out to never be truer when I accidentally slammed the car door on her finger! (Miraculously, she wasn't injured severely.)

We’ve got plans to attend some other upcoming governmental meetings soon. (Assuredly, they’ll turn out less painful.)

All of this is important because she’ll be of legal voting age for the general election. I’m proud to say she’s been paying attention, developing her own views as she determines what’s most important. It’s fun to have different political discussions with her and listen to what issues are most prevalent on young people’s minds. Our views are often different from each other as you’d expect them to be but I’ve been surprised that she’s as much of a teacher to me as I am to her.