Photo Credit: © Can Stock Photo / Geleol
If you’ve read my columns in the past, you might remember me quoting a presenter I saw several years ago at a conference (unfortunately, I remember the statement but not the presenter!) who said, “If you ask parents what matters most to them, if they are being honest, their kids would be number-one, followed closely by their money.” If we accept this statement, then, as providers of youth programs, we are in the unenviable position at times of taking the second-most important thing a parent has in exchange for providing a service to the most important thing in their lives. Certainly a tall order, and in my opinion, one that demands that, as youth professionals we keep expectations real, shamelessly tout our accomplishments, and do not be afraid to admit our mistakes.
To accomplish this, I present seven truths that will make for successful youth programs:
Truth #1
We are only as good as the people we recruit to deliver programs, and none of the people are perfect. As parents of two children under five, my wife and I have shelled out serious dollars for all manner of parent-and-me classes, swim lessons, gymnastics programs, etc. And, at this point, I can safely say that what makes or breaks the likelihood of our being satisfied customers has less to do with what our child actually learns and much more to do with how the adult(s) who lead the programs interact with our children. If you’re nice to my daughter, supportive of her effort, quick to respond to bad behavior, and open to talking to us, then I am honestly not that concerned if she can or cannot do a perfect ballet step or tumbling pass. With that in mind, when you fall short of responding quickly or appropriately, please, please, just tell us what happened and what you plan to do to ensure that her needs will be met in the future. We don’t expect perfection but we do demand accountability.