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Due to Ender running a fever earlier this week, he missed his first two days of school. That makes today his first day. This year is particularly special since its a new school for him. He was quite nervous last night anticipating what today may bring. As with all great fathers, my advice was stolen from a television show.
"Its okay to be afraid.", I said. "Be as afraid as you want. But only for a little while. Only let it control you for five seconds. Close your eyes, count to five, then you control it." Totally ripped from the first episode of Lost. I would have felt rather dirty stealing from a television show except for two reasons. The first is that it happens to be the best television show on the air. The second is that it worked. He gave it a moment, then I saw a change in his face. Like a sudden look of confidence. "Ok, I'm ready.", he said.
So thank you, writers of the great tv.
The worst part is that it wasn't the first time I've stolen fatherly advice from television. I took something from Everybody Loves Raymond once. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it involved a scenario where the kid was being made fun of. Ray's response was to tell the most embarrassing story of when he was made fun of. Of course I didn't tell Ray's story (but I thought about it), I told my own. The strategy was stolen though. The result was Ender laughing at me for stopping and pulling up my sock during the final stretch of a race I was running.
Ender is attending a Montessori school. Nothing new there, just a new school. Kindergarten he attended a Waldorf school. 1st and up was all Montessori. His new school takes a camping trip the first week of school. So tomorrow, Ender's second day, he leaves in the morning to camp with a bunch of strangers until Sunday. I realized I wouldn't be that worried except that I've done absolutely nothing to prepare him for camping. I saw him eyeing the marshmellows at the store the other day as if he were thinking, "For some strange reason I want to get these, but I'm not sure why..."
Today is also my first kickball game. See, I'm part of the World Adult Kickball Association and started my own team here. Theresa is part of it too. It seems really weird that both my son's parents play kickball but neither of them do. Soon I'm going to sign Ender up for a sport and I know it'll be more mature than kickball. I wonder if it embarrasses him. I wonder if he knows it should.
"Its okay to be afraid.", I said. "Be as afraid as you want. But only for a little while. Only let it control you for five seconds. Close your eyes, count to five, then you control it." Totally ripped from the first episode of Lost. I would have felt rather dirty stealing from a television show except for two reasons. The first is that it happens to be the best television show on the air. The second is that it worked. He gave it a moment, then I saw a change in his face. Like a sudden look of confidence. "Ok, I'm ready.", he said.
So thank you, writers of the great tv.
The worst part is that it wasn't the first time I've stolen fatherly advice from television. I took something from Everybody Loves Raymond once. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it involved a scenario where the kid was being made fun of. Ray's response was to tell the most embarrassing story of when he was made fun of. Of course I didn't tell Ray's story (but I thought about it), I told my own. The strategy was stolen though. The result was Ender laughing at me for stopping and pulling up my sock during the final stretch of a race I was running.
Ender is attending a Montessori school. Nothing new there, just a new school. Kindergarten he attended a Waldorf school. 1st and up was all Montessori. His new school takes a camping trip the first week of school. So tomorrow, Ender's second day, he leaves in the morning to camp with a bunch of strangers until Sunday. I realized I wouldn't be that worried except that I've done absolutely nothing to prepare him for camping. I saw him eyeing the marshmellows at the store the other day as if he were thinking, "For some strange reason I want to get these, but I'm not sure why..."
Today is also my first kickball game. See, I'm part of the World Adult Kickball Association and started my own team here. Theresa is part of it too. It seems really weird that both my son's parents play kickball but neither of them do. Soon I'm going to sign Ender up for a sport and I know it'll be more mature than kickball. I wonder if it embarrasses him. I wonder if he knows it should.
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