My son, Jordan, is on the left in the green shirt which he designed using photo shop.
As with most families in the northern hemisphere, it’s summertime, which means twelve weeks off. What to do? sports, summer camps, summer school, volunteering, or jobs? With a fifteen-year-old, it’s different. They’re a little too young to get a summer job, and often quite lazy.
Well this year’s different. Jordan, my youngest son, has shown some initiative, and I’m feeling quite proud of him. He wants to earn some money for his passion: Paintballing. Now, don’t get me started on the pros and cons of paintballing, instead, let me focus on initiative.
“Mom, I’d like to come with you to the gym,” Jordan said.
“You sure you want to wake up at 6 a.m.?” I said.
“Yep. I want to run faster, for paintballing.”
So for the past ten days, Jordan has been going to bed around 9 p.m., and waking up on time so he can jog on the treadmill for an hour with his i-pod glued to his ears.
He researched jobs online and filled out and faxed a lengthy application for Yogurtland.
He ordered a couple of DVD’s on paintballing, with his birthday money, and the minute UPS delivered them, he got out his notebook and wrote down seven pages on paintballing techniques.
“You should start your own paintballing blog,” I said. “Perhaps you can form your own team and get sponsored.”
I wanted to plant the seed in his head.
So whether it’s paintballing, coin-collecting or skate-boarding, I really don’t mind what his passion is. All I care about is that he shows initiative.
Do you have or know of a teenager who has shown initiative?
My oldest is starting high school this fall. He is off already with the band practicing for the 4th of July Parade. I had no idea the amount of time the kids practiced before the big parade!!!
He was allowed to skip it as a freshman, but he wanted to dig into the whole "band experience"
@Hit40
Great. A friend has a son who got accepted in college for his achievements in band.
Yes, yes, yes! This is the kind of learning I love to see. My oldest is into fishing, and while you might say he's "just fishing," he's learned more from that self-motivated endeavor than anything else. Reading, history, science, interpersonal relationships, geography, culture, business — etc, etc, etc.
I wish our boys had MORE time for this kind of free learning.
Jenny
http://www.bloggingboutboys.blogspot.com
So, Gutsy, did he like the blog idea? I know my teens would love it.
Interesting initiative, indeed. And getting up at an ungodly hour to run, in order to do better? Fantastic.
A blog about paintball? Why not? I don't have a clue about it — even old Bears can learn new things.
Well done Jordan!
It's hard for teenagers to do anything but sleep at times, so I do admire him!
@Jennifer
Did your son find the fishing interest on his own or through someone else?
@Captain Hook
I think he doesn't want mom to be the one to decide. maybe in a few days, he'll consider it
@Rob-bear
I told him he already has one fan waiting, a Bear. We shall see.
@LadyFi
Have you got paintballing in Sweden?
My 18 year old is working up in the mountains for the forestry, and he's thinking that, after he gets his general ed out of the way, he would like to get a degree in forestry. Who knew!? Our computer geek, a gangly 6'2" boy, would decide to take on a job so physically challenging. Muscles are popping out all over his body and he gets up at five. When I used to have to throw water on him to get him out of bed in high school!
Glad to see your son has found his passion, I know it does our heart good to see our son so into something. Initiative, is a good thing!
Yes – there is paintballing here (I think). Also, in the city, kids do something similar but using lasers instead of actual paintball guns.
Have you spent most of your mothering life trying to think of things for them to do? If so, I guess this kind of initiative must be pretty refreshing… he could sell those T-shirts from his blog too!
That's great initiative. I'm only a dozen years older than your son and don't really know any teenagers, but I do keep in touch with some of my old high school friends and right now is the time that initiative in high school is really starting to show off. The skills he learns about starting something, will be so important for him as he starts "the real world."
Actually, I was just having a conversation with a sociologist friend of mind about how creativity in solving problems is something that can't be taught, but is explored through the sort of "free learning" your son is doing. All higher level jobs require some element of creativity and self-starting (to get a head in the business world you have to add something unique that is a value-add– all engineering and science directly requires creativity to solve the problem. These skills just aren't taught. Kids have to figure them out. That's great that your son is exploring and being passionate about something during his summer!
That's wonderful! Sometimes it doesn't matter what drives us, as long as it's something worthy of our efforts. I can think of a lot of worthy things about paintballing. What if he joins the military someday? That experience might just be helpful!
Hope he keeps it up!
good for him – i agree with you, the fact that he's showing initiative is more important than what for (within reason of course)
@Elizabeth
It's strange to see their interests develop. I'm glad for your son that he is becoming so specialized in a unique field.
@LadyFi
Laser tag is popular here too, but in an indoor arena. Paintballing is outdoors and they run a lot.
@Louise
Yes, I have tried to come up with stuff for them to do, but with my 3rd son, I'm not trying as hard as with the first. Funnily enough, that may be the secret. Let them find their own "thing."
@Lauren
I like your analysis and perspective. Do you think that kids today have to find something themselves and show initiative more than before, because of the increase in competitiveness?
@LadyGlamis
I know you have a daughter, so paintballing won't come into the picture, unless she's a tomboy, or you have a son later on. Does your husband paintball?
@Christina,
Yes, at least it's a start. Thanks.
This is new to me. How does he earn money from paint balling? Or is it just a game?
My 16 year old grandson has been working for his Dad for the last two years, I do believe, and he can handle the equipment better then many of the men a bit older then he is. He loves his work and is a real help to his Dad who by the way is very proud of him.
My 16 year old daughter, who is really not suited for typical teenage jobs due to having Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, created her own job this past spring – language tutoring! She is teaching introductory Japanese and French to four students for $15/hour! Plus a couple of them she teaches in a two-hour block! She had business cards delivered just this week and they are adorable! We are so proud of her!
@Betty
Paintballing is a game, but I figured that if he blogged and got a sponsor, he might later on, get paid for his efforts in one way or another. Plus the experience he gets, might help in other areas.
@Gramma Ann
I love hearing your story. What a proud Dad, your son must be.
@Pop and Ice
I'm impressed. How did she learn Japanese herself? Did she stay with a family in Japan? Wonderful.
For my oldest daughter and her friends it was magic. They collectively decided to put on a magic show. The project took them several years of concentrated effort but they put on the show at the local high school auditorium and broke even with the money.
For my youngest daughter it was Saving The Planet, a passion that stays with her even today, married with two kids of her own.
Great parental support there. Nice having you drop in on me, too. Which state is Fort Myers in? I know there is a Fort Myers in California, but you don't mean that? I think there is one in Georgia? WE lived in Florida for six years. The weather is very humid. But, some people like that.
Thanks for following me!
I love your profile. Living in central New York makes me long for warmer climates.
It is so great to see anyone with passion and enthusiasm. I am imagining that he has learned a lot about initiative from his parents.
@Barry,
I'm happy to hear that both your grandaughters found their passion. Is your youngest one involved with GreenPeace?
@Lakeviewer,
I meant the Fort Meyers, FL. We don't mind heat and humidity, but hurricanes are always an issue.
@Diane
I know you have heat in the summer though. Where would you like to live?
@La Belette Rouge
I think learning by osmosis helps. My youngest son is more like me than the other two.
Good for your son. That's the kind of thing my son would have done. He had to want something first, but once he did he would work really hard to get it. Once it was getting in shape for rock climbing, another time it was working to save money to buy a new computer – various things.
Gutsy,
That's cool that your son is showing a strong interest in a hobby. I have a 14 year-old brother who is showing intersting in arts and is really working hard to improve his cartoon drawing skills. I am very proud of him and try to motivate him as much as I can.
Anytime a child shows passionate interest in something, a parent can encourage the passion, sometimes without necessarily encouraging the object of the passion. We had to laugh when we found an old newspaper article about our 32-year-old son Anthony two days ago. He had a lemonade stand. When he graduated from college, he started his own business.