Whaddya Know?

Last night was an educational experience shared by Madeleine and myself.

First of all, Maddie invited me to attend her first annual Awana awards ceremony, where all the children would be recognized for participating at the very least. However, most kids were recognized for more - attendance, number of workbooks finished, merits earned, memorization, etc. After the ceremony, she came to me with her little certificates and ribbons and said that she wanted to earn all the awards next year when she moves up from "Cubbies" to "Sparkies". In essence, she's beginning to learn that hard work pays off. She's also learning that attendance is important, not only in recognition, but that more can be accomplished while you are in the appropriate setting.

On our way to the car I saw Tom, a former colleague, and his wife who were attending the ceremony to see their first-grade son receive accolades for participation. As we were all bringing each other up to date on our lives and recent accomplishments, Tom's wife Celeste told me that she writes for a local magazine and is looking for a local non-profit organization to feature. My job is to work like mad to get our organization's trinity (name, logo, slogan) out into the community so that our incoming financial gifts, as well as the number of fundraiser participants, will increase. So the lesson learned... no, reinforced is that it's not necessarily what you know, it's who you know. And that is why I'm raising my child to be the selfless, empathetic, responsible, fun-loving, social-butterfly she is.

Number 3. Madeleine apparently decided to divert from her normal Disney Channel routine, watching "Extreme Makeover" instead. I think it's a terrible show. Plain awful. They are flat-out promoting vanity as a priority - a "you're not going to make it in this world unless the audience thinks you're beautiful" mentality. Maddie came to me and told me that I should get a nose job. When I asked why, she told me I'd be "better". First of all, my nose is perfect. I'm not just saying that because I think I'm the snazziest chick around - my nose is perfect. Second, this makeover show, within one hour, made my daughter think that what we are isn't good enough - that we could simply pay to look "better". I am pissed! However, I am partially to blame for not monitoring her TV time (so I guess this is two lessons in one).

On a lighter note, Madeleine learned this morning that brushing one's teeth does not mean that one must also soak one's shirt with water and/or spit. It was interesting to me that this lesson was the most difficult to convey. Maybe I need to have a ceremony one a week to award her for mornings she doesn't slop-up her clothes. Positive reinforcement works when used appropriately. After all, allowance has been the key to keeping a clean room thus far. Two dollars a week goes a long way, baby.