Take a nap!

I was talking with several students over the weekend and I noticed a reoccuring theme in our conversations. All of the students were tired. These are students that range from 6th-12th grade and they were exhausted. Tired and needing sleep. I thought to myself, "Why are they so tired?" Students don't have jobs, well not all of them, and they go to school and that sort of thing and then it dawned on me. "If a student gets into college, most of them will have more free time than they do in High School."

Many will not agree with this statement but listen to them as they talk about all they are involved in and trying to get ahead, fit in, or work for college spots; not to mention all the self esteem issues they deal with.

Tired from going to school, being in a leadership position, leading others, academics, clubs, sports, games that last until who knows when during the week, homework, and last but especially not least is the social aspect. Many parents don't help when we add to this list things such as 'chores' or home responsibilities and we add to the tiredness of our students. (Dont' hear what I did not say here. Parents are to give students responsibilities and I am not advocating that they don't have them!) What I am saying is that as Parents we may have to reteach our students to say something that came so easily and naurally when they were about 2 years of age: NO!

Saying no to things that keep you away from family, keep you up too long and too late; things that you may have to reexamine in your life to see what the purpose is in doing these things. Let's face it, as parents we all were caught up in that thing called High School, and now Middle School, where we spent all our time trying to impress people that we will never see again, or worse yet impress those that in the grand scheme of things don't matter.

So what am I saying? IF you are tired, say no to something and go take a nap!!!

God rested on the 7th day, not because he had too but to show you that you need to slow down and take a rest. I think it's time to sit down, turn off the phones, the music, the I-pod/I-phone, computers, set down the books, don't go to the game, turn off the TV and rest! I promise you one thing for sure, that if you do, that in about 3 days, no one will have missed you at those other events.

Shhhhh! Go take a nap and don't be so tired.