Success

My grandnephew, Isaac Spethman has always been a bundle of energy. He was always busy from the time he was just seven years old when he talked a Grant Street Grocery into “hiring” him. He provided the needed resume, and they were so touched that they put him to work. Of course, they couldn’t pay him, so he go candy, sandwiches, or other items from the store. It was a mutually beneficial agreement, and both parties were delighted.

When Isaac was a little boy, his parents, my niece, Jenny Spethman and her husband Steve were told by a number of people that their son was ADHD. They were told he needed to be medicated to calm him down, but they chose not to do so, and not to label him. Instead, they channeled his energy in ways that helped him to focus and be productive. They never told him that he couldn’t do something that he dreamed up, unless it was dangerous, of course. The Grant Street Grocery job was across the street from their home, and they knew the owners. They knew he was safe and occupied. They didn’t know how long his interest would last, but it lasted a long time. The people at the store started teaching him about running the store, including cuts of meat. They just couldn’t let him cut the meat. Isaac had such a wonderful experience working at Grant Street Grocery, that he has had a job ever since, and just before he turned 18, he purchased his first home.

Success is often measured in the things we have and the accomplishments we make, but for Isaac, it was also measured in the things he didn’t do or didn’t have forced upon him. He has never taken medication for ADHD, nor has he ever been labeled with it. His parents raised him instead to be the best man he could be, and to focus that incredible energy he had into good things, helping others, and creating the kind of life he wanted, even if he did things at a much younger age that society would have expected. I’m not saying that people should never give their kids medication for ADHD, but rather that people should be sure of their options first, and either way, don’t label a child with things that will ultimately limit them. Today is Isaac’s 19th birthday. Happy birthday Isaac!! Have a great day!! We love you!!