DISCLAIMER: A LITTLE ANGRY, SOMEWHAT DEFENSIVE, DEFINITELY PROTECTIVE, AND REALLY BAD LANGUAGE....
Ok... so the most challenging part of being a parent hit me today.... Teaching my child to deal with disappointment. OMG. So my daughter Zoe tried out for cheerleading for middle school next year. She had practice last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.... and this past Monday and Tuesday - with tryouts today (on her dad's birthday).
SHE DIDN'T MAKE IT.
As a mother my first reaction was WHY THE FUCK NOT?! Of course, realizing I cannot jump in and save her from everything. After all, disappointment is a part of life - so we need to empower our children to accept it and deal with it. This is the first time she's ever done anything where there was the possibility of not making it.......
They picked 15 girls... 12 that did it last year, and 3 others. She said the others didn't even know the dances very well, but they were "tall." OH HELL THE FUCK NO! Now those of you who know me, know I've dealt with this MY WHOLE LIFE!!!! Whether it was finding a job, getting a boyfriend, or even just having people take me seriously (even my own parents!).
Now if they just didn't pick her because she didn't do well enough - that's one thing. But seriously, if they didn't pick her because she's not tall enough, or skinny enough, or not endowed enough at her tender age of 10.... well that's another fucking thing. My husband said there was some girls flat out CRYING because they didn't make it. I asked him - and there's no better way to put this - if the other girls were short, or chubby, or "less than pretty." He said "kind of." And one had glasses. Now I really have no way of knowing if this played a part. But if I can help my daughter learn a lesson from this - then I'm doing my job.
Just because she didn't make it does NOT mean that she's not beautiful, smart, or talented..... and no tall, skinny bitch, big boobied cheerleaders will tell me otherwise!!!
So I dedicate this to my daughter Zoe.... in the great, wise words of P!NK:
Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel
Like you're less than fuckin' perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel
Like you're nothing, you're fuckin' perfect
TO ME!!!!!!
Zoe I love you so damn much - and there is NOTHING you can't do!!!!
