Daughter-unit Beta burst through the front door, jazzed and
cartwheeling in her excitement.

"Is the door still on its hinge?" I asked from around the corner
in a non-plussed, I'm-going-to-fix-it-if-you-break-it-being-stupid
manner.

"Oops. Sorry 'bout that! Guess what?"

"You got a boyfriend?"

"Stop saying that! And no, I don't 'got a boyfriend.' Yee-uck!"

"You outran your sisters and they're on their way home from
school?"

There was a pause and I could tell that she was thinking, "Wuhl,
yeah, I guess so." But just as quickly as she answered, she was
off-and-running with her original question. "Will you stop being
difficult? I'm being serious!"

"Cap'um Crunch or Raisin Bran?"

"No! Not 'cereal,' 'serious_'!"

"Oh..." I said, rounding the corner and smiling. "'Serious...'
Never heard of it." I shrugged.

Beta was already in the kitchen putting her lunch ice (blue ice
packs) away, back in the freezer. "I have something for you to
sign. I need it for tomorrow."

"Okay. Leave it in my box."

"No. I need you to sign it now."

"No. You need to put it in my box, just like we've done for the
last four years. Put it any place else and it will get lost..." I
droned for the zillionth time.

"No," she simply but effectively cut me off.

"'No?' I don't do 'No.'"

"I don't want mommy to know about this..."

I was intrigued.

"Le'me see it." I held out my hand.

"Don't laugh," she cautioned before setting a single sheet of
paper into my outstretched hand. I turned it around and started
reading it.

"Dear Parent of ____[BETA RANGER]_____,

"Your child has requested to run for the office of
_____SECRETARY_____ for his/her ASB Student Body. S/He has
fulfilled the requirement of obtaining 25 signatures from fellow
students. S/He must now seek your permission to participate in the
upcoming elections the week of 03-Sept-22.

"Please sign the tear-away permission slip below and return it by
03-Sept-19. This will be next step in participating as a
candidate.

"His/Her final requirements are to make two posters (12X18 inches)
that s/he will be able to place in two areas, write a speech
indicating why s/he believes they will make a good candidate, and
present his/her speech to me (as principal) and then the entire
student body on 03-Sept-22 at General Assembly.

"We would like him/her to make the posters, and write his/her
speech, without any assistance from you, his/her parent. This is
his/her project and, as such, we want to see what he/she is
capable of doing.

"You may attend General Assembly and watch him/her give his/her
speech. Please let us know if you plan on attending."

I finished reading it. Beta stood stock still holding her breath.

"Why?"

"Because?"

"Why do you want to run?"

"Because!"

"Why do you want to run and give a speech?"

"Because! I can make a difference!"

I pulled the drawer open, signed the paper, and handed it to her.

"That's what I wanted to hear."

The Ranger

The Ranger wrote:
> Daughter-unit Beta burst through the front door, jazzed and
> cartwheeling in her excitement.
>
> "Is the door still on its hinge?" I asked from around the corner
> in a non-plussed, I'm-going-to-fix-it-if-you-break-it-being-stupid
> manner.
>
> "Oops. Sorry 'bout that! Guess what?"
>
> "You got a boyfriend?"
>
> "Stop saying that! And no, I don't 'got a boyfriend.' Yee-uck!"
>
> "You outran your sisters and they're on their way home from
> school?"
>
> There was a pause and I could tell that she was thinking, "Wuhl,
> yeah, I guess so." But just as quickly as she answered, she was
> off-and-running with her original question. "Will you stop being
> difficult? I'm being serious!"
>
> "Cap'um Crunch or Raisin Bran?"
>
> "No! Not 'cereal,' 'serious_'!"
>
> "Oh..." I said, rounding the corner and smiling. "'Serious...'
> Never heard of it." I shrugged.
>
> Beta was already in the kitchen putting her lunch ice (blue ice
> packs) away, back in the freezer. "I have something for you to
> sign. I need it for tomorrow."
>
> "Okay. Leave it in my box."
>
> "No. I need you to sign it now."
>
> "No. You need to put it in my box, just like we've done for the
> last four years. Put it any place else and it will get lost..." I
> droned for the zillionth time.
>
> "No," she simply but effectively cut me off.
>
> "'No?' I don't do 'No.'"
>
> "I don't want mommy to know about this..."
>
> I was intrigued.
>
> "Le'me see it." I held out my hand.
>
> "Don't laugh," she cautioned before setting a single sheet of
> paper into my outstretched hand. I turned it around and started
> reading it.
>
> "Dear Parent of ____[BETA RANGER]_____,
>
> "Your child has requested to run for the office of
> _____SECRETARY_____ for his/her ASB Student Body. S/He has
> fulfilled the requirement of obtaining 25 signatures from fellow
> students. S/He must now seek your permission to participate in the
> upcoming elections the week of 03-Sept-22.
>
> "Please sign the tear-away permission slip below and return it by
> 03-Sept-19. This will be next step in participating as a
> candidate.
>
> "His/Her final requirements are to make two posters (12X18 inches)
> that s/he will be able to place in two areas, write a speech
> indicating why s/he believes they will make a good candidate, and
> present his/her speech to me (as principal) and then the entire
> student body on 03-Sept-22 at General Assembly.
>
> "We would like him/her to make the posters, and write his/her
> speech, without any assistance from you, his/her parent. This is
> his/her project and, as such, we want to see what he/she is
> capable of doing.
>
> "You may attend General Assembly and watch him/her give his/her
> speech. Please let us know if you plan on attending."
>
> I finished reading it. Beta stood stock still holding her breath.
>
> "Why?"
>
> "Because?"
>
> "Why do you want to run?"
>
> "Because!"
>
> "Why do you want to run and give a speech?"
>
> "Because! I can make a difference!"
>
> I pulled the drawer open, signed the paper, and handed it to her.
>
> "That's what I wanted to hear."
>
> The Ranger
>
>
Encore!!!!

The Ranger wrote:


> "Why?"
>
> "Because?"
>
> "Why do you want to run?"
>
> "Because!"
>
> "Why do you want to run and give a speech?"
>
> "Because! I can make a difference!"
>
> I pulled the drawer open, signed the paper, and handed it to her.
>
> "That's what I wanted to hear."

That wasn't the big "why". Why didn't she want mommy to know?



Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

Default User > wrote in message
...
> The Ranger wrote:

>> "Why?"
>>
>> "Because?"
>>
>> "Why do you want to run?"
>>
>> "Because!"
>>
>> "Why do you want to run and give a speech?"
>>
>> "Because! I can make a difference!"
>>
>> I pulled the drawer open, signed the paper, and handed it to
>> her.
>>
>> "That's what I wanted to hear."
>
> That wasn't the big "why". Why didn't she want mommy to know?
>
For the exact same reason: She was convinced I wouldn't ask [for a
reason] so she wouldn't have to give [a reason].

It never even dawned on her there was a raison d'être for my
volunteerism. Go figure.

The Ranger

The Ranger > wrote in message
...
[snip]

As a follow-up: Yes, SWMBO and I talk. Always have, always will.
It's been a slow fire burning as all three daughter-units have
came to realize this "secret."

Another go-figure...

The Ranger

The Ranger wrote:
> "Because! I can make a difference!"
>
> I pulled the drawer open, signed the paper, and handed it to her.
>
> "That's what I wanted to hear."
>
> The Ranger

You must be soooooooooo proud)))))))))))

Well done)

Ophelia > wrote in message
...
[snip]
> You must be soooooooooo proud)))))))))))

Of all three; every day in every way.

> Well done)

Thank you!

The Ranger

Where is the continuation? What about the two posters? What about the
speech? Whether she was elected is not the point, but the way she
handled everything is and you are not telling us. Did you break down
and try to help her? Was the bond between you two even stronger after
that day?

I was a little girl once and I also was the mother of a little girl. I
know why your girl child wanted to come to you and not to her mother,
but it would be difficult to explain.

margaret suran > wrote in message
. net...
> Where is the continuation?

It's under "WIP."

> What about the two posters?

They're quietly taking up space on her shelf in her closet.

> What about the speech?

Written and delivered by herself. It was the only speech given by
the any of the other five candidates that was about her
qualifications on being the ASB secretary. She also delivered it
with passion and enthusiasm. Daughter-unit Beta was the only
candidate cheered during and after her speech.

> Whether she was elected is not the point, but
> the way she handled everything is and you
> are not telling us.

It's WIP.

> Did you break down and try to help her?

Nope. It was her election not mine. I'm a _strong_ believer in the
student doing his/her work, not the parent. There were some
parents that forgot to allow their candidate-child to remain in
the same room as the posters were completed. I was the audience as
she rehearsed her speech. I neither had to provide feedback nor
was I given the opportunity since after each attempt, she'd catch
something, make notes, and then it would be changed for the next
go-round. It was fun to just sit there and be the sounding board.

> Was the bond between you two even stronger after that day?

Believe it or not, we've always enjoyed a strong bond. I'm not
sure it could be much stronger. I'm a lucky man with all three
daughter-units.

> I was a little girl once and I also was the mother of a
> little girl. I know why your girl child wanted to come
> to you and not to her mother, but it would be difficult
> to explain.

Understood. Completely.

The Ranger
--
"Can someone show me where in the children's manual it says that
men don't have to change diapers? My wife seems to have missed
that annotation."
-- Steve Z, Twinslist, circa, 1993

The Ranger wrote:

> margaret suran > wrote in message
> . net...
> > Where is the continuation?
>
> It's under "WIP."
>
> > What about the two posters?
>
> They're quietly taking up space on her shelf in her closet.
>
> > What about the speech?

It's like I'm a show, and waiting for the next episode!

> Written and delivered by herself. It was the only speech given by the
> any of the other five candidates that was about her qualifications on
> being the ASB secretary. She also delivered it with passion and
> enthusiasm. Daughter-unit Beta was the only candidate cheered during
> and after her speech.

So what did the other candidates speak about?




Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

The Ranger wrote:
> margaret suran > wrote in message
> . net...
>> Where is the continuation?
>
> It's under "WIP."
>
>> What about the two posters?
>
> They're quietly taking up space on her shelf in her closet.
>
>> What about the speech?
>
> Written and delivered by herself. It was the only speech given by
> the any of the other five candidates that was about her
> qualifications on being the ASB secretary. She also delivered it
> with passion and enthusiasm. Daughter-unit Beta was the only
> candidate cheered during and after her speech.

Good for her))) Hehe I am almost bursting with pride for you)

>
>> Whether she was elected is not the point, but
>> the way she handled everything is and you
>> are not telling us.
>
> It's WIP.
>
>> Did you break down and try to help her?
>
> Nope. It was her election not mine. I'm a _strong_ believer in the
> student doing his/her work, not the parent. There were some
> parents that forgot to allow their candidate-child to remain in
> the same room as the posters were completed. I was the audience as
> she rehearsed her speech. I neither had to provide feedback nor
> was I given the opportunity since after each attempt, she'd catch
> something, make notes, and then it would be changed for the next
> go-round. It was fun to just sit there and be the sounding board.

So how old is this wee star?)

> >> Was the bond between you two even stronger after that day?
>
> Believe it or not, we've always enjoyed a strong bond. I'm not
> sure it could be much stronger. I'm a lucky man with all three
> daughter-units.
>
>> I was a little girl once and I also was the mother of a
>> little girl. I know why your girl child wanted to come
>> to you and not to her mother, but it would be difficult
>> to explain.
>
> Understood. Completely.
>
> The Ranger

The Ranger wrote:
> margaret suran > wrote in message
> . net...
>> Where is the continuation?
>
> It's under "WIP."

Dear The Ranger, Thank you! You filled in all the blanks and I really
appreciate it.

I should probably know what "WIP" means, but I do not. I may be the
only person who does not.

Your posts of those little incidents of the past are such a pleasure.
Thank you!

In article >,
"The Ranger" > wrote:

> "Why?"
>
> "Because?"
>
> "Why do you want to run?"
>
> "Because!"
>
> "Why do you want to run and give a speech?"
>
> "Because! I can make a difference!"
>
> I pulled the drawer open, signed the paper, and handed it to her.
>
> "That's what I wanted to hear."
>
> The Ranger

Sounds like you are raising some amazing kids. :-)
Well done!

Now, when can we expect that parenting book to come out with all of
these stories?

I want a copy for my sister and brother in law!

A simple title could be something like "Adventures in Parenting"?
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson