Teachable Moments

When we talk about teachable moments, they happen every single day here and today a few of our boys learned a life lesson that will forever impact them. We had a team out playing baseball at a nearby camp today and as Chenny was easily winning and the boys were feeling pretty confident, a few comments were made to the other team during the game that made one of the opponents feel pretty bad about himself. The comments were made in jest and never truly intended to hurt anyone but none the less offended a player on the other team. As group mentality would have it, making a negative comment or two was intended to get a laugh and the boys who made it had no real idea the effect it had on that player of the opposite team. We were made aware that these comments made this boy feel so bad it brought him to tears. Now these comments that were made regardless how benign the intentions were, made another human being not feel so great about themselves and their abilities on the field. We told our kids how disappointed we were and how their words effected another human being in a negative way. They truly had no idea how much a comment said even under their breath would effect someone else so deeply. These boys felt instant remorse and realized instantaneously that they have to make this wrong a right. They asked to go back to the camp and apologize in person to this boy they had unintentionally offended. The way in which they made this wrong a right was what made this moment so powerful. As they sat in front of this boy they did not know, they asked for forgiveness and apologized for their behavior. They only wanted to make their friends laugh without truly having regard for another’s feelings. One of our kids said, “This will forever change how I try to impress my buddies at the expense of another.” They showed empathy and compassion and the boy from the other camp, graciously accepted their genuine apologies and said to them, “If this game allowed you guys to see that words can hurt, maybe it happened for a reason.” Our kids won the game today but that took second place to the teachable moment it presented. Our kids walked away with a lesson in empathy and understanding that will forever stay inside of them and be part of who they are. It was real and it was raw and the lasting effects of facing a mistake, dealing with it head on was a lesson they will never forget.

Todays Games:

Inter Girls Softball – CAW 14 @ Westmont 7

Super Girls Basketball – CAW 20 @ French Woods Sports 22

Middy Boys Soccer – CAW 5 vs. Lavi 4

Senior Boys Baseball – CAW 15 @ Tioga 5

Super Boys Basketball – CAW 33 @ French Woods Sports 28

Simon Says we had a great evening activity tonight. It was optional evening activity for Navajo and they all wanted to relax in the Chen-A-Plex and watch a movie. But for Cherokee and Mohican, it was an incredible night of Simon Says. They were trying so hard ti beat the best, Steve Max as he dazzled our campers with the hardest game of Simon Says anyone has ever played. It was boys vs. girls and it was fun. Not a camper could resist trying to win this game but had a ball in the process.

The GC’s are wandering on the West Coast and loving  it. Their first stop was touring UCLA followed by dinner at City Walk in Universal City. Lots of fun so far and it’s only day 1. Life is Great if you’re a Chenny kid!!!!

Chenny out.