This week, my son was chosen to participate in a leadership program at his club. He was so proud to tell me about it—the new T-shirt he received, what the program meant, and how he would be helping younger kids improve.
I was happy for him. But what stayed with me most was how he seemed to feel about himself in that moment. He had accomplished something. Someone trusted him with a responsibility. He had something to offer.
As he explained what he would be doing and the responsibilities he would have, I could sense his pride and excitement. To me, it felt like this opportunity was helping him recognize that he was capable and had something valuable to contribute.
Some kids or people may say things that make him doubt himself. This opportunity gave him another experience to hold on to—one where he felt included, trusted, and able to help others.
It reminded me how much the people and environments around our children matter. A chance to contribute can help them see a side of themselves they haven’t fully recognized yet.
I hope moments like this help him grow into a confident adult. I think that’s what we all want as parents. For me, it was never about how much money he might make. It’s about him being able to live a happy life, believe in himself, and trust that even when things get difficult, he can find his way and be okay.
His worth didn’t begin when he was chosen for this program. It was always there. But I was grateful that, this week, he had a reason to feel it for himself.