Last week, we had the exciting privilege of taking our 4-year-old daughter, Lyndsy, to her new school and getting her registered for kindergarten. She will be going to Plat Elementary School next fall, and we were given a tour of the school when we registered. Plat is an awesome “country” school, complete with a playground with woods nearby, hardwood floors inside and REAL chalkboards (the green ones).

As we were filling out Lyndsy’s registration paperwork, we were somewhat thrown by one of the questions that was asked. It read, “Please list your child’s strengths”. My wife and I looked at each other and sort of chuckled. I guess we could have listed things like “She’s colors in the lines pretty well”, or “She can rip a pretty mean fart” or “She usually eats all of her waffles”. I mean honestly, she is only 4 years old, and we’re not really sure what her strengths are yet.

We did end up putting down that she is very organized, and that she shows a lot of empathy to others. We also listed a couple other qualities we see as her “strengths”. It’s interesting that it took this school registration form for us to consider what our daughter’s strengths were at her young age. I have to admit that it sort of made me feel like a bad parent since I hadn’t considered that before. Oh well, I guess that is what parenting is all about.

And I sure hope what we perceive as our daughters strengths today stick with her as she goes through the rest of her life. My guess is that they will, because in her Dad’s eyes, she is the world’s most perfect daughter.

G’Night G’Town!

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.  ~Stacia Tauscher