It was once said that it takes a village to raise a child. I think the same can be said for writing a children’s book.
My son Clayton was the in house artist for this book. My wife Karen did all the organization for the book project, without Karen it does not happen.
My daughter Christy helped with social media to promote the book. My two grand kids Josie who is three and Cole who is almost two were print models for the book. I did little, the aforementioned group made this book happen.
I feel so strongly about Benny and Babe because being a coach in football for thirty years on the high school and college level I have learned a lot about what young people need to be successful in sports but most importantly life. Sports are strong metaphor for life.
The main element that I would see repeatedly that made a difference in young people’s lives on and off the field was confidence. There is so much pressure on young people today to be great at something.
When people in the stands stand up at football games and yell, they do not say that they are number thirty-seven. They all say they are number one.
Kids feel so much pressure to be great at something right away. It does not work that way. To be successful in anything it takes hard work, determination and certain confidence—a belief in yourself and what you are trying to do.
The very thing that a youngster maybe struggling with is the very thing that he or she will be great at later on in life. There is no such thing as failure, just experiences that everyone learns from in life.
That is why the development of confidence is so important to young boys and girls in school, sports, arts and life. Young people need to find mentors in their life that provide that type of belief system.
Those mentors are mom, dad, grandparents, teachers and coaches—anyone that helps a young person believe in themselves is so valuable to the development of a young person.
The story of Benny and Babe is an example of a young person, Benny, that is struggling to find his way on the baseball diamond. He is fortunate through personification to find a baseball, Babe, who is very human in a myriad of ways.
This magical baseball helps him be successful through confidence.
This baseball story is a metaphor for life, to be successful at anything you must find mentors that will help foster that confidence that everyone needs.
Now you may not find a talking baseball as your mentor but it is essential that you discover people that will fill that vital role for you at any age.
I believe very strongly that this is a very important message for young boys and girls.