Developing Athletes web site and how kids are different

http://www.developingathletics.com/articles.html

How kids are different:
I find it interesting to compare the good old days to today when:

1. Children today are EXPECTED to learn and comprehend at an earlier age - NCLB includes standardized testing for pre-school, children as young a 4 & 5 are EXPECTED to be able to read / write and do basic math skills. My wife teaches 3 yr old pre-school and parents are upset because they don't teach pre-reading/writing/math and are threatening to "pull their kids out". On the HS end graduation expectations / standards are higher and the top 25% students are graduating with college credits & advanced courses.
2. Every building/district I have been in has had both leadership programs & character type programs at every level from K-12. Most communities have leadership building type programs / after school type programs / development type programs. My town offers organized sports starting at 3&4 yrs old. The HS I teach at has 4 different "leadership" programs in which kids can develop / practice leadership skills. We also emphasize (or over emphasize) character with many many incentives / rewards & recognitions for individual / group & class behaviors.
3. Kids have more access at younger age to ANY and ALL information. If I ask a simple question to any class - within one minute I have 8/10 kids with different web sites on their phone. My 6 yr old understands how to "click" on things to get information. Look how fast this web site has expanded and come back in a year- Ill bet we will have face to face interaction with instant video clips & computer imaging soon & thats a bunch of "old farts" who know nothing about computers!
4. Because of all this stuff most kids are overwhelmed. How many of your kids are always "plugged in" either on a cell phone, on an ipod or on a computer of some type. Because we are a consumer driven society this means company's are driving to combine all these things into on mega visually driven device. Soon we will see some type of glasses or something like that that can do anything (there are researchers working with brain synopsis and brain electrical charges to control devices)
   

What does this all mean? Biologically kids are kids, they have the same emotions, feelings, urges etc. Socially kids are very different & unless we address the times it is US who will be left behind.

1. Kids need rules & discipline - but now days they need to also know why & how does this help them.
2. Kids need structure & organization - but they need to see progress & how this benefits them / the team etc.
3. Kids need leadership & instruction in character - but they need to make mistakes and learn on their own

There is no responsibility for their own actions because they have never learned failure, the world owes them something and they have no cause and effect relationship. Parents give their kids too much. I recall having to buy my car, pay for my gas, pay for my insurance. If I couldn't pay for the gas...then my a$$ didn't go. My parents did not try to be my friend, they were my parents.
And if you're a non-conformist to the "talk it out" "be sensitive" trend in today's society you're labeled a bully, a hot head or an a-hole. I do not think I am any of those, but I am someone who will fight for what I think is right and I refuse to get walked on or taken advantage of and I for one am tired of being vilified for it.
Ironic how a country that was founded by a group of people who took what they wanted, and took it by extreme violence now acts like every problem can be solved through mediation and conversation and violence is never necessary.
2 conversations from 1 movie come to mind. From "Major Payne"
Emily: Major, WHAT are the boys doing in those DRESSES?
Major Benson Winifred Payne: Oh, they're just puttin' on a fashion show.
Emily: Do you really think THIS is the best way to gain the respect and admiration of these young men?
Major Payne: They may not like me, but they WILL respect me.
Emily: Let me be more direct: they HATE you.
Major Payne: Good. It'll draw 'em close together, make 'em a team.
Emily: That's a very cynical plan!
Major Payne: Yeah, well at least it won't backfire.
AND
Major Payne: Maybe what he need is for you to pop your titty out his mouth and let the boy grow up.
Emily: Excuse me, what did you say?
Major Payne: I didn't stutter, I said pop-your-tit-ty-out-his-mouth AND STOP BABYING HIM.
Emily: I don't call it babying, I call it nurturing.
Major Payne: And I call it neutering.
Emily: And I call you an insecure, overbearing, psychopathic, edictorial, ego maniacal, frigid lunatic ASSHOLE!
Major Payne: I ain't frigid.
I don't know. Maybe I'm too old school. But I know this, my mother parented by fear...and it worked. I am no longer afraid of her...unless she's armed...but I do respect her. I learned that cussing in her house would get me backhanded. At 38 years old, I still don't cuss in my mother's house, even if she's not home.