Time Well Spent

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Over the weekend I took my son Cordell to Wild Mountain in Taylor Falls, Minnesota. He told me numerous of times about how much fun he was having, you could also see the excitement on his face. We started off by riding the go carts, he couldn’t drive one on his own because he did not meet the height requirement, so he rode with me. The laughing and the smiles of joy did not stop once while we were circling the track. The water slides were followed by the go cart riding, he went down each water slide on his own. We each had our own tube to go down the slides,  he really enjoyed that. He was genuinely happy and he had the time of his life.

Cordell is in the YMCA’s summer program so he goes on field trips all of the time. He has been to: Twins games, movies, different waterparks, museums, and many more places. He has enjoyed all of the field trips that he has been on but I have a feeling that our trip over the weekend was his favorite one of the summer, mainly because he was spending time with his Dad.

I had a great time as well and I concluded that no matter where you send your kid(s) for the summer to have fun, they will have the best time with their parents, at least in their younger years.

It Makes Me Smile

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There are many things that make me smile but nothing makes me smile more than seeing the results of my parenting. This morning when I was dropping my son off to his summer program I noticed a few kids that were his age smiling from ear to ear. I noticed that they were looking directly at Cordell and he was smiling from ear to ear as well. As soon as he walked in the door, they all hugged each other as if they haven’t seen each other in years, but they had seen each other just the day before.

I always wondered how Cordell interacted with his friends and about what type of friends he would gravitate towards. It is one thing to hear about how he interacts with his friends from his teacher but to see it first hand makes me feel very good. I am affectionate towards Cordell and I always let him know that it is okay for him to be affectionate towards his family and friends.

Seeing what I teach Cordell in our household play out right in front of my eyes makes me smile, and seems to turn rough days into great days.

The Importance of Personal Values

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In my opinion the world would be a better place if people had better “values.” According to the Ethics Resource Center (2009), the short definition for values is core beliefs that guide and motivate attitudes and actions.

Values are usually established early in life but over time an individuals values may change. Values help provide you with a strong foundation and give you guidance throughout your life. Values help you gain clarity about what you stand for. We express values in our relations with other people when we are honest, loyal, trusting, trustworthy, reliable, and feel a sense of responsibility for our family and friends.

A few personal values that I carry are: family, self-reliance, discipline, integrity, person growth, friendship, and much more. My values help me stay motivated and they give me guidance. Values are usually established in the home but it is up to the individual to keep those values. My son more than likely do not know this right now but I instill my values into him on a day to day basis. I am sure he will thank me later. By being a business owner I have also realized that my personal values are in alignment with my business values which is very important.

It should not be difficult to make decisions in life if you know what you value!

Cortez Wilson

My Son and T-Ball

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It is t-ball season and my 6-year-old son is playing. We have played catch in the yard  and hit a few balls at the park but I had no idea how things would go. The first two practices went well but I was a little nervous about the first game which came after the second practice. When it comes to sports I can be a little competitive being that I played sports coming up. I had to calm myself down a few times while Cordell was out in the field playing around and not paying attention. It is okay to want your kids to succeed in sports but you have to realize that they are also out there to have fun and socialize with their friends, especially at age 6.

The first game went surprisingly well, Cordell hit two line drives into the grass, and seemed to have had a lot of fun. The second game I spotted him in center-field, squatting down, and playing in the sand. I looked around a little more a noticed that three or four more kids were doing the same. I just shook my head and reminded myself that he is here to have fun.

It is important to not put pressure on your kids when it comes to sports because that may cause them not to like the sport. Just remind yourself like I do, they are there to have fun and to socialize with their friends. The coaches are there for a reason, to coach, so if your kid isn’t doing something right, it is their job to correct them. I am looking forward to the next game!

 

Cortez Wilson