Life's Experiences and Learning

Well, the school election results are in and Rowan was not elected. The details of the ballets were hidden so we don't know margins or anything. She was unhappy and sad, especially since she felt one of the candidates she lost to was not nearly as good as she would have been, but she took it well. She felt that of the two kids who won in her class, one was good but the other was lame and probably won on a popularity vote. I told her that she had done her best and that when it came to the vote, it was now beyond her control and she'd have to just let it go. That she was still the same valuble, and talented person that she was before the vote and that now she had even more experience and knowledge to offer. Right before the vote I used a metaphor of her taking care of an egg, and keeping it warm and safe, then hatching the chick and nuturing it. I explained that these were all her efforts to prepare for the vote and present her case to the other students. I explained that the little chick had been cared for and that she now had to let it go to fly away and see if it would make it's way in the world. I said that once you set the baby chick free, after you have cared for it and nutured it, you have done all you could and it's now beyond your control. I said that if she won, she be entering new territory with a whole other learning curve with experiences. She said she understood and I think it helped her face the defeat of not being selected during the vote. I'm actually happy that she's not going to be involved in yet another activity that would inevitably require us to help with more fund raisers and stuff. As it stands with current standard school requirements, jobs, and a few extracurricular activities for her and her sister, we barely have enough to do everything now. That's a whole other subject, the stress of having no money beyond basic needs and no freaking time. I can deal with the money thing better than the time issue. All in all Rowan's experience with the whole student government process was very educational. I suspect that she may try again next year but we'll just have to wait and see. On the way home on the day of the vote I stopped by the grocery store and bought some steak and corn on the cob (her favorites as long as the steak is medium rare) to prepare her favorite meal that night. I figured either that it would serve as a victory meal or comfort food no matter the outcome. She enjoyed the meal and little Holly (who is a fiercely determined picky eater) even ate some steak. I only got enough steak for the kids so Mommy and Daddy had pork chops, steamed asparagus and red potatoes, which wasn't too shabby either.