Walking away is not an option... dialogue must prevail.

"A good listener tries to understand what the other person is saying. In the end he may disagree sharply, but because he disagrees, he wants to know exactly what it is he is disagreeing with."
- Kenneth A. Wells

"I do not want the peace that passeth understanding. I want the understanding which bringeth peace."
- Helen Keller

Sunday, April 5, 2009

slaying dragons is girlie business


I hate fairytales. Not because they propagate those moronic "must find your Prince" (although, man have I kissed a bunch of frogs to get mah Honey who is quite dashing and manly and could slay a dragon in a heartbeat - he fights fires! it's doubtless he could douse a dragon's fiery fury), but because they set us girls up for the most monumental of disappointments. 

If you open your bedroom window and sing a catchy tune, sadly, woodland animals will not heed your call and come clean your house, fix your hair (complete with fresh flowers) and make you lovely gowns.

Thankfully, despite Disney's best efforts, my Chicklet is not inclined to be a princess (anymore).


This week, as part of my mommy duties (again, no woodland animals came to assist... not even a wise owl), I had to help the girl with her homework. The assignment? Imagine yourself in the year 2060 and the dictionary will now include an entry about you. What would it be for?
There are no limits to their imagination. They can choose anything.
My daughter? Without hesitation is going to be a researcher, a Nobel Prize winning researcher, no less. Her accomplishment (aside for the awesomeness that is winning a Nobel Prize)? Finding a cure for breast cancer, after she's done doing that she'll move on to new forms of energy or maybe improved hurricane detection and alert technology... she has a lot of goals.
The best part about this assignment and watching the sparkle in her eyes was that she really has the fire and conviction that she indeed will, someday, accomplish great things.

No sitting around waiting for fairytale endings for my Chicklet. She's gonna slay those dragons herself.

But if you ARE going to listen to a Fairytale... this would be the way to do it:


13 comments:

Akelamalu said...

Aw bless her! I hope her prediction comes true. :)

Travis Erwin said...

Good for Chicklet!

Adlibby said...

Christopher Walken slays me!

Rock on Nobel prize winning, breast-cancer curing Chicklet! I believe you WILL!

Gary's third pottery blog said...

Huzzah!

Charles Gramlich said...

That dictionary assignment is pretty cool. I wish I'd thought that one up.

Anndi said...

Akelamalu, I don't what her contribution will be, but I do know it'll be quite wonderful. And she's going to do it all while also being a mother :)

Travis Erwin, good for the world!

Adlibby, me too *grin*. It's wonderful to have a child that thinks big.... especially a girl.

Gary, exactly the right word!

Charles, isn't it? I knew you'd like that. It's wonderful when a teacher gives them the right to dream big for an assignment. I ADORE her teacher and I feel so blessed I get to volunteer in her classroom.

Travis Cody said...

I like that assignment. But my understanding is that she'll also have some additional achievements such as winning several Tony awards for best performance in a musical, Oscars for the film adaptations, and becoming the fabulous mother of the next generation of amazing women in your family.

America's SgtMaj. said...

So wait, does this mean I'm out of a job?

Anndi said...

Uncle Travis, I believe she is currently evaluating the possibilities of being an acclaimed writer or director also. When she's old enough, she may start to date... maybe when she's 25.

Burke, how about she takes care of the smaller local dragons while you wrangle the big ones?

Desert Songbird said...

Smart mama makes for smart daughter. Slayer of own dragons indeed.

The Christopher Walken vid is a classic. Told only as he could.

Unknown said...

LOVE that Christopher Walken video... and the graphic of the sword etc. Good on chiclet!

Unknown said...

MORE COWBELL!

Actually, I love fairy tales, says the girl whose knight in shining armor turned out to be a loser in aluminum foil. But I do like fairy tales and fantasy because I think it's important for everyone, not just children, to lose themselves in things such as that. It's nice to have a happy ending in a world where there are so few.

Unknown said...

christopher walken rocks!