Thank you Allstate for sponsoring this post. I chose to write this post because doing good in local communities is at Allstate’s core.
I’ve been a mother of teenagers for almost eight years now, and I’ll have a teen at home for another five. When I had a house full of little ones, I thought parenting was tough, but toddlers and preschoolers have nothing on teenagers.
It’s a heavy responsibility, this parenting thing.
But it’s also full of joy, hope and pride like I’ve never known before.
I feel like the younger generation gets a bad rap most of the time (but hasn’t that always been the case?). I think it’s time to give our youth a little credit. They’re doing amazing things, have incredible potential and I can’t wait to see them grow up and become the adults and parents of the next generation.
I was inspired by the children (and their motivating, loving teacher!) in this video. Check out what these kids dreamed up, and how Allstate is getting involved in local communities across the country.
I have to agree with the idea of youth empowerment. Allstate is working to inspire the next generation through community projects that empower youth to be leaders and change-makers – not just in their future but right now, too. Allstate’s dedication to the communities where they live and work is core to who they are.
Our youth don’t need to wait to “grow up” to make changes and have an influence on the world around them. They can start making a difference today. And so many of them already are.
Like the kids in the video, the kids and teenagers that I interact with on a daily basis, whether my own kids or youth from church or my kids’ schools, are using their hands, hearts and voices to enrich their communities. While they’re serving others, they’re building critical social and emotional skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and empathy. I love seeing my teens not only noticing the needs of others around them, but standing up and doing something about it. They don’t wait for an adult to do it for them.
I asked my teenagers what they saw as some of their generation’s greatest strengths. What traits do they have today that will lead to their future success?
I loved their answers.
“Kids have more confidence to speak up. They have opinions on things that are happening around them and they aren’t afraid to share them.”
“I feel like adults are more willing to listen to us kids these days than they were in the past.”
It’s so true. The world is open for our children. They have opportunities that I never dreamed of when I was little. So much of that stems from the information and resources that are quite literally at their fingertips now. I’ve seen my own children driven by a motivation to learn, do and create things thanks to their access to the internet. When I was growing up and had a question about how something worked or how to make something, my options were limited: ask an adult with experience or find a book about it.
While there is still plenty of value in asking an expert or researching from a book, the internet provides answers and examples and experiences almost instantly.
My youngest son is always making something. When he hears of something that sounds interesting, he doesn’t waste any time. He watches videos online until he understands how it works and then he sets about to create it.
This results in lots of messes (just yesterday I vacuumed up a bunch of remnants of paracord shells and string and electrical tape from the hand-made bull whip that he made – his third hand-made whip so far) but I would rather deal with messes that resulted from creating than messes that resulted from laziness.
The youth in this generation are learning and doing things that generations before could never dream of learning how to do, much less being able to execute. They have the resources, drive, respect and desire to stand up, make their voices heard, and leave their mark on the world.
How are the young people in your life getting involved and making a difference in their communities? Don’t forget to check out how Allstate is involved in their local communities and why they also think that the future has good hearts.
This post was written as part of the Allstate Influencer Program and sponsored by Allstate. All opinions are mine. As the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, Allstate is dedicated not only to protecting what matters most–but to guiding people to live the Good Life, every day.
© 2019, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
Leave a Reply