CALL TO ARMS SPEECH BY LEADER ALEJANDRO L. GARCIA edited version

CALL TO ARMS SPEECH BY LEADER ALEJANDRO L. GARCIA JR.

Good day Professor Saguinsin, classmates, ladies and gentlemen!

Let me start with a little background about my childhood.
My parents were both hard working leaders. They believed that education is our key to success and I am thankful to them for sending us to the best schools. I went to La Salle Greenhills from kinder to high school then UP for college and Med school. The same with my younger brother. My youngest brother went to Ateneo from grade school to college. However, this was at the expense of not living with them and seeing them only on weekends. They may have made the right decision, as my brothers and I have all turned out to be responsible adults. You cannot argue with success. That was their style.

Now that I have my own family, I plan to do things differently. I will take advantage of the wealth of information and evidence available in the Internet, to guide me in my advocacy on the importance of family time.

As young professionals we are driven to succeed. We have big dreams and aspirations for our children. Unfortunately for some, this means less time with them and we are depriving them of the benefits of spending time together.

As they say, the best thing we can give to our children is time.

Spending time with your children through daily activities such as eating together is a good time to discuss how their day went. In a study, teens who have frequent dinners with their family are at a lower risk for substance abuse.

Doing homework together enables us to see what they're learning and our support will help boost their confidence in school. Teens whose parents are with them to talk, to listen, and to answer their questions after school are less likely to experience emotional distress and behavioral problems.

Planning a vacation and involving them in planning help make them feel an integral part of the family.Traveling is a multisensory learning experience wherein they learn different perspectives, life skills, adaptability, problem solving, socialization, patience, tolerance and following rules. It's also an opportunity to get to know our children.

Children whose fathers spend time with them doing activities tend to have better academic performance and are less likely to engage in violence. Research shows that even very young children who have experienced high father involvement show increased curiosity and problem solving capacity.

Involving them in the community and church activities show them the importance of what they have and make them a more socially conscience person. Kids learn by example and if you set a good example, your child will apply these learnings in the future.

Adolescent years is incredibly hard on self esteem. By telling your child you love them and by giving them good advice and feedback frequently, you can boost their confidence. Being supportive of their ideas will make it easier for them to come to you with their problems and discuss their true feelings.

We all want the best for our children and that is probably the reason why we are working so hard. They don't need the latest gadgets, designer clothes, or expensive gifts. All they need is our time and unconditional love.

It is true that our world is facing many problems such as poverty, corruption, terrorism, and global warming. I believe that by starting in our home and raising confident, conscientious, and responsible children, these problems can be addressed.

To quote some great leaders,

Gordon hinckley: "if we are worried about the future, then we must look today at the upbringing of children"

Franklin Roosevelt "we may not be able to prepare the future for our children but we can at least prepare our children for the future"

Jfk: "children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future"






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