Kids will make, and learn from, mistakes
With respect to Rhonda Landreth's Counterpoint, "Praise for Scout sends wrong message," (March 29):
I know of no persons or organizations "praising [Michael Auberry] for disobeying Scout rules ... ." Indeed, Michael within hours of his rescue took full ownership of his lapse in judgment by describing the incident to his father as the stupidest thing he had ever done.
What is being celebrated by his family, friends and the media is his safe return. Too often, these stories have bad endings. Michael is 12 years old. Kids make mistakes and they sometimes break the rules.
Lord knows I did. We learn from our mistakes and move on.
So, instead of running Michael down, please join us in rejoicing his safe return and leave it at that. How and why he got in that situation should not matter — he's a kid.
Jeff Peraldo
Greensboro
Comments (3)
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when i was 12, me and my mom were taking our maid home. she said when she got there she was going to take a bath. i asked from the back seat, "how do you know when you're dirty?" so yeah, kids will be kids...
Posted on April 6, 2007 8:00 AM
yeap...kids will be kids... send his daddy the bill for services rendered.
Posted on April 6, 2007 8:05 AM
I agree that Michael is a kid and that as such, will make mistakes. That is an element in the process of learning. I too am one of those who was glad/thankful (insert other adjectives here) of his safe and live rescue.
However Jeff, I have to woefully disagree with some of the basic point/s raised in this LTTE.
Jeff, the ending comment of the LTTE is the source of my displeasure of this LTTE; "How and why he got in that situation should not matter he's a kid."
If the "how and why" should not matter, then what is preventing Michael from doing the same thing again? The "how and why" are a part of the learning process. If Michael does not learn, then the same actions can be expected to be repeated continually.
If there are "rewards" for poor decisions, then there is no ownership of responsibility. I believe that a twelve-year old should have ownership of responsibility for some of the decisions they make.
The case with Michael is one of those! What Michael did was a selfish act because he did not have any of his friends along on the camping trip!
I realize that some of what twelve-year old boys (children) get into cannot be considered in the same fasion as this. However, most twelve-year olds do not get themselves into situations that cause such a uproar and family trauma.
Jeff, think on these things before totally committing yourself to not believing that the "how and why" should not matter!
Shalom
Posted on April 6, 2007 12:06 PM