Patient politician

Reagan, here today at her volleyball match, has not had the best of luck in entering student government. She made her first attempt at politics in the third grade when she began attending a new school and wanted to run for student council. No one knew her at this school and the loss was quite devastating to our up-in-coming baby kisser.

She continued to try the next year in fourth grade and then again in fifth grade, but to no avail. She wasn't sure if it was a poorly run campaign, her policy ideas, or her views on domestic and foreign issues (wink, wink); nothing seemed to work and she lost again...and again.

This year she came to me, eager to try one more time to infiltrate the school government elite. I hesitantly agreed, bought the poster board, helped with a slogan, and sneaked in a cautionary pep talk of sorts.

Mom: "Reagan, you know this is a new school." (She's moved to middle school this year.)

Reagan: "Yes, I know."

Mom: "You know that your elementary school only sends a hand full of students to this school while two other elementary schools send their whole fifth grade population, right?"

Reagan: "Yes, I know."

Mom: "So people who run that came from those other two schools will have a whole lot more people to vote for them because more people know them, right?"

Reagan: "Yes, I know."

Mom: "Okay, I just don't want you to be really disappointed if, say, you don't get chosen...in the completely unlikely even that such a thing would happen since I know you could win."

Reagan: "Mom, it'll be okay."

Mom: "I just don't want you to get hurt."

Reagan: (consoling me) "Listen Mom, if I can handle losing three years in a row, I can handle losing this year too."

And she did lose. I was sad the whole afternoon; she was sad for about a minute and was ready to move on to her next project. Maybe she is cut out for politics, as I'm obviously too weak.