Lift schools, youth up in prayer in this time

Well, school has started, you know what that means? It’s time for the talk.
Stressful times are coming up for teachers, coaches, and students. We are not living in the days when you and I walked 10 miles uphill to school in a blizzard.
We have issues of COVID, social media, cyberbullying, and lack of accountability. From day to day, we are not going to know if school is in session or if distance learning is required. We may be facing isolation again, and we all know how well that went last time.
I guess my concern is this; How are we going to help the teachers, coaches and students overcome the obstacles this year?
Teachers and coaches have one job, and that is not to babysit.
They are supposed to prepare our young people for the world. It is up to us to help them do that.
The teachers will challenge your kids on an academic and artistic level.
You as a parent need to make sure you are providing the chance for them to perform at the highest level. Coaches are working to make sure your student is physically able to cope with the stress and obligations of life outside of the school and in the world. You are supposed to help them do that.
Turning young people into responsible contributing adults is a team effort. It is not a fly-by-the-seat of your pants activity.
The teachers, coaches and administrators have been training hard for your child, so they can be the best they can be. We need to remember that if a student gets in trouble for a poor decision they have made, it is not because the teacher dislikes them. They get called out because the teacher knows they can do better. Holding our kids accountable is the way they learn to be adults.
Also, give them a break. There is no such thing as a professional kid. Young people make mistakes. They don’t always get straight A’s and sometimes they may work hard and come up short. That’s okay.
Tests do not measure the person, they only measure what a person has retained in a given subject. The same thing goes for sports. Most of the kids playing sports today will graduate high school and never play that sport again.
So, lighten up and enjoy the game rather than yell at the kids, coaches and officials.
Above all remember Psalm 139:14, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
Our task is not to win the Gold Medal or score the highest on the test. Our task is to do the very best we can do for the Glory of God. That goes for students, faculty and parents/caregivers.
Hold both the students and the school personnel up in prayers. Pray for them every day and find ways to help. We can make this school year a complete success.
See you in church.
Rev. Kent Wilfong is the pastor at the United Methodist Church, Doniphan/Neelyville.