Part of the problem of the over-committed modern youth is the challenge of resisting the urge to grow.
It’s easy for successful programs to grow. It’s usually justifiable, too: we want to offer more and better opportunities, we want to make space for more participants, we want to participate in new adventures. It’s also so very American, the idea of “grow or perish.” And it’s true that leaders seek – and need to seek – fresh experiences for themselves as well as for the youth they’re leading.
And yet.
And yet, kids have less downtime than ever before.
And yet, more and more kids are forced to choose or specialize at an ever earlier age.
And yet, growing these opportunities often means increasing costs – at risk of dividing youth by family income.
When I seek to grow, change, or otherwise adjust the experience, I ask these questions:
- Will it make a positive difference in the experience of my students?
- Will it cost my students more (in money, but also in time and in what they have to give up.)
- Am I doing this for them or for me?
- Am I willing to eliminate something else to support this growth?
I’m very content to continue to curate experiences for my students that create amazing musical and educational experiences but also leave them free to participate in other activities or to have free time.