Act Your Age Mitchell: Why Even Young Leaders Matter
Hey there, everyone. Gather around because we’ve got some serious big kid energy to talk about today. I’m talking about leadership. Yeah, I said it—leadership. Now, hold up, before you roll your eyes and think, "What do I know about being a leader? I’m just a kid!"—I need you to listen closely. Because even if you're nine or ten (or maybe eleven, almost-done-with-being-eleven), you’ve got something this world needs. Scratch that—something Mitchell needs.
Now, if you don’t know, Mitchell is leaning into toddlerhood. That’s right. He’s that squishy little guy with sticky fingers, probably holding half a cracker and waddling around like the king of the world. And yeah, toddlers kinda are kings and queens of their world—everything’s new, everything’s wild, and they’re just trying to figure out where they fit in it all. Sound familiar? Honestly, we’re all doing that sometimes. But here’s the thing about toddlers—they’re also looking at us, even us kids, to show them how to be. That's right. They’re learning from everything we do.
Think about it. When Mitchell looks at you, his tiny little eyes are saying, "Hey, how should I act? How should I treat other people? What’s okay for me to feel when something goes wrong, or when something feels awesome?" And guess what? You’re the example. You’re not background noise in his life. You are front-row, spotlight on, the star of the show. And yeah, you read that right—even us preteens are setting the tone. Mitchell isn’t waiting around for adults with boring rules and big voices to teach him everything; he’s watching what we do.
Now, here’s where it gets cool. Leadership doesn’t mean you’ve got all the answers or that you’re perfect. Do I have all the answers? Nope. Do I sometimes eat gummy worms for breakfast before my mom catches me? Maybe. But being a leader doesn’t mean you’re flawless—it just means you try. You keep showing up. You look out for the people around you, even if those people are two feet tall, have Velcro shoes, and sometimes cry because their banana got cut in half. Believe it or not, Mitchell already thinks you’re a big deal.
And being a leader for him doesn’t always mean stopping to give giant speeches (even though, yeah, speeches are kinda fun). Sometimes it’s the little stuff. It’s noticing if his toy car fell under the couch. It’s slowing down to high-five him when he does, well, anything. It’s making sure that when he knocks over his block tower for the fourth time, you don’t say, “Ugh, again?” You say, “Hey, buddy, cool! You’re gonna build it even better.” Because what you’re doing right there? That’s leadership. You’re giving him courage. You’re teaching him he can keep trying. And guess what? That will stick with him way, way longer than the cracker crumbs he’s leaving all over the place.
You don’t have to be loud or bossy to be a leader. Some of the best leaders are quiet. They listen. They notice things. They lead through how they act, not just what they say. The way you handle frustration when a video game keeps beating you—Mitchell sees that. The way you giggle when something’s funny, even if nobody else gets the joke right away—Mitchell sees that too. And by showing him it’s okay to keep trying, laugh it off, or get excited about life, you’re giving him these little invisible superpowers without even realizing it. That’s pretty cool when you think about it.
But hang on, it’s not just about Mitchell copying us like some tiny, adorable sponge. It’s about how we show up, even when nobody’s watching. Real leadership? It’s self-awareness. It’s asking yourself, “What kind of person do I want to be? How do I act when no one’s handing me a gold star for it?”
Think of it this way. Imagine Mitchell had like, this not-so-secret notebook where he wrote down what kind of person he wanted to grow up to be. What entries do you want to make sure get into that book just because of how you show up? Do you want him writing, “Be kind, even on tough days”? Or maybe, “Help without being asked, because it’s awesome to be the reason someone else smiles”? That notebook doesn’t have a title, but all the pages are still being written by how we treat the world around us—Mitchell included.
And look, I get it. Sometimes you wake up, and you’re not exactly feeling like a leader. Maybe you’re thinking, "I can’t even keep my own room clean—how am I supposed to inspire anyone else?" But leadership isn’t about having everything figured out. It’s about stepping up when it matters most. It’s saying, “Okay, I don’t love sharing my favorite snack, but fine, Mitchell, you can have one of my Goldfish crackers because I can see that you’re looking at me with those big toddler eyes.” Sharing your snacks, being patient, helping someone build something, or even fixing what broke—those are simple acts of love, and love is, hands-down, the most powerful leadership tool you’ve got.
And can I tell you something wild? By showing up for Mitchell, you’re not just helping him. You’re helping you. Every time you choose to be kind, helpful, and encouraging, you’re actually becoming a stronger, more awesome version of yourself. You’re learning what it means to carry responsibility without being asked to. To notice the needs of others before they have to spell them out. When you do those things, you start feeling this spark—this confidence—that says, “I am a leader. I actually can make a difference, even if I’m not the tallest person in the room or the loudest voice in the group.”
Okay, so here’s where the rubber hits the road. You don’t have to go all-in straight away (no one’s asking you to become some kind of superhero overnight). Start with the small stuff. Say hi to Mitchell when you see him, instead of just running past on your way to your next thing. Ask how his day is going, even if he doesn’t use as many words to answer as you’d like. Show him that being a leader means being present—even when it’s messy, loud, or feels like he’s gonna cry because his applesauce fell on the floor. Leadership shows up when it's hard.
And now, before we wrap this up, I’ve got a little something extra. It’s a journal prompt, just for you. Because being a leader starts with thinking like one—and you’re going to crush this.