My small effort…won’t dramatically change the staggering percentage of kids who feel adults view them negatively. Still, I do hope that my conversation…helped him sense that adults in his world do care about him

Several years ago I read a Search Institute report that outlined 40 developmental assets children and youth need built into their lives if they are to mature into healthy, caring, and responsible individuals.

The study broke the 40 assets into two major categories: external assets and internal assets. The external assets critical for healthy development include support, empowerment, boundaries, expectations, and constructive use of time. Internal assets include positive values, social competencies, positive identity, and a commitment to learning.

One of the 40 developmental assets states that it is important for young people to perceive they are valued by adults in their community. Yet this study pointed out that 97 percent of the youth researched felt adults viewed them negatively.

My initial response to this research was fairly academic. I felt good about how many of the 40 developmental assets were addressed through the club and camp ministry of Pioneer Clubs.

But as I began to examine my own behavior toward children and youth, I discovered patterns that were not supportive of the developmental assets. So for the past few years I have actively worked at changing my actions and attitudes toward kids I encounter. My key goal is to make sure I convey a genuine interest in them—that I demonstrate I value them and consider them important.

Judy Bryson is president/CEO of Pioneer Clubs®

Read More: http://www.christianitytoday.com/childrensministry/pioneerclubs/affirmingkids.html