My Son, The Action Hero

Tim Graves, M.S.Ed.

--The Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus, © 1996

 As my children get older I am losing touch with the current "action figures of the day. My children were preschoolers during the hey days of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The names may be changing but the concepts are the same: action heroes use incredible extraordinary powers to save the universe. Ultimately, not a terrible idea. People using their strengths to do good and protect humankind.

But, somehow I fear that one of the messages our children may be receiving from these superhuman figures is that you must have superpowers to be able to be a hero. I beg to differ. I believe each and every child and each and every adult has the power within them to be an action hero.

During January, the United States celebrates the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King is a hero to me. I remember the reaction of my parents when Bewitched was interrupted with a news bulletin about the shooting of Dr. King in Memphis. Their horror and sadness began me on a journey of learning more about this man who--without superhuman powers--helped to change the lives of literally millions of people.

Rev. King is a hero to me because he was a man without superpowers and with imperfections who saw a wrong and sought to correct it. He is a hero to me because he believed the end did not justify the means, that violence was not an answer, and that the individual could make a difference. For me that is the message I want my children to understand.

I believe that each of us is responsible for teaching our children that they can indeed make a difference. Sometimes that means listening to our children and assisting them in taking actions even when we think we're too busy. Last month, my son and I were driving beside a local nature area that is protected by the environmental conservation department. We saw a man sawing fallen logs and placing them in the back of his pickup truck. Isaac, age nine, was outraged. "He's not supposed to do that! This is a protected area! The animals need those logs for homes!" Isaac believed he could make a difference and could correct a wrong. With the help of his mother, the appropriate government agencies were contacted with a description of the truck and its license plate number. I am proud of Isaac because he saw a wrong and sought to correct it just as Dr. King did. Isaac did not make excuses. He did not wait until Monday morning to call. He did not say he was too busy and he didn't leave this up to someone else. He took action. With the support of his mother and my three trips up and down the Lake Road to read the license plate number, Isaac became an action hero. Perhaps, we should, too.

©Copyright, 1997 Timothy R. Graves.  All Rights Reserved. Permission to reproduce for use with parents and families of young children is granted provided no financial gain is involved and this copyright notice is included. Mr. Graves would appreciate any feedback and knowing how and when you use this document. Please let him know by writing Training Wheels for Early Childhood Education at 1981 Decatur Avenue Wheeling, WV 26003 or sending an e-mail to timgraves@trainingwheels4ece.com. Additional articles and handouts can be found at www.trainingwheels4ece.com