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y the time children reach ages in the double digits, their thoughts begin to turn to social matters—who said what, who likes whom, what’s cool, what’s lame. Gone are the days of pure play.
Dolls are soon relegated to a dusty shelf and tire swings hang empty. In the interest of gathering those all-too-quickly-fading rosebuds, we questioned several of the Valley’s movers and shakers, asking, “What should every kid do before they turn 10?” Here are 10 of their ideas.
Kelvin Redd
Center for Servant Leadership
Experience Flight
A couple of years ago, my family traveled to Washington D.C. for a summer vacation. My youngest
child, Kirsten, was 7 and it was her first flight. The whole experience of waking up in the wee hours
of the morning and leaving home around 3:30 a.m. to drive to Atlanta for an 8 a.m. departure
was so much fun—and the look on Kirsten’s face as the plane took off and she said very loudly, “Wowww!” She was so very excited. She couldn’t sit still. When our plane landed at Reagan
International Airport and we departed the plane, I can still hear her say, “Daddy, that was neat!”
Ginny & Richard Anthony
Synovus
Manage Money
We both agree that 10-year-olds should have been taught by their parents a good basic understanding
of the value of money—earning, saving and giving. Even if the budget is extremely
small, it teaches them the need to work and plan for what they want and instills a sense of
responsibility toward others in need.
Master Swimming
Every child should know how to swim for safety reasons. Once children
are mobile, they are at risk around water, whether it is a natural
body of water or a swimming pool. Plus, it is a healthy,
lifelong activity that builds physical fitness. And it’s fun!
Amelia McGonigal
Columbus High School Student
Invent a Language
When I was little, I remember having so much fun making up a
secret coded language with my friends to send messages. You get to
exercise your creativity and imagination and keep your secrets safe
at the same time.
Develop a Party Trick
Learn how to do a backbend to impress people—and scare your
mommy! Everyone needs to be able to do something that not just
anybody can do. And it’s fun to hear your mother say that your
body shouldn’t move like that!
Mac McKnight
Synovus Commercial Mortgage Services
Chew with Your Mouth Closed
Good habits are easy to form at a young age, but bad habits are
harder to break as you get older. It seems simple, but there truly is
a “halo effect.” Doing one simple thing right or wrong can dramatically
change they way others perceive you.
Befriend Someone of a Different Race
The world is becoming a more and more diverse place. Becoming
comfortable with races and ethnicities different from your own will
broaden your horizon to better relationships, whether professional
or personal, in the future.
Linda Hadley
Columbus State University
Care for a Pet
One of the greatest joys in my life is the relationship I have
with my dog. I feared dogs (all animals, really) as a child, and when
I realized that I had passed my fear on to my daughters, I felt
compelled to do something about it. It proved to be a life enriching
experience for all of us. I would now say that all children should, if
at all possible, develop a relationship with a pet—preferably a
dog—by the time they are 10. Having a pet teaches children so
much about themselves and their impact on others. It’s an experience
all children should have.
Victor Cross
PC-RC Chamber of Commerce
Speak a Foreign Language
Children learn languages much easier when they are young than
when they are adults or even high school students.
Learn to Be Curious
And to marvel at how wonderful our world is.
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