Tanner for Secretary!

Every once in a while you have a moment that makes you stop and think. Such a moment happened for me when Tanner came home last week and said he wanted to run for Student Body secretary. We told him that we thought that was great, and asked him what he needed to do to prepare for that. He said he didn't know...

Well, that was about all we heard, until today when he came RUNNING home and said that he won the nomination for his class secretary, and now he would run against 3 other 4th graders to be the Student Body Secretary. He was SO excited! He was also shocked that he won against his friend, who was the "most popular and the funniest kid in class." I told him that apparently his classmates thought that he would do a good job, and that is why he was elected. (Oh-if it could always be this way!) I felt like a slacker, as we had not helped him with a speech, but he told us what he had said; something to the effect of: "I always try to be respectful, responsible and safe. (their school motto) I listen to my teachers, and I take good notes. I will take the notes you give me to meetings so that I can tell about your ideas. I have been in student council last year and I don't think that this could be much harder. Vote for me!" Well, if I do say so, it was a pretty good speech.

Now that he has to give a speech in front of the whole school, Ryan told him that he wants to do something that the kids will really remember! (I told him to wear his church clothes and he definately did not want to be remembered that way!) At first he wanted to do a "Camp Rock" song and change the words, and then he said that instead he wanted to get a Napolean Dynamite shirt that said "Vote for Pedro," and cross out "Pedro" and write "Tanner." He thought that would be funny too. We are going to help him make some posters--but he has some pretty good ideas and seems to know what he wants, so we will try not to interfere.

I was thinking the other day about when we first moved here, and how Tanner has changed so much. He has always made friends easily, and has found it easy to do what is right at school. But in the past few years we have watched his confidence in himself increase. Times like these are good for our kids--and whether they win or lose, they learn so much in the process. He told us the other day that he wanted to be an Olympic swimmer like Michael Phelps. Or several nights ago as I tucked him in he asked me a "political" question--and then proceeded to tell me what he would do when he was president of the United States! I am glad that he feels that he can do whatever he puts his mind too. In his eyes, the possibilities are endless. We should be more like that! He is prepared for any outcome in his school election-and unlike me, doesn't take things too personally. He is a good sport; I am sure things will go fine for him. We will let you know what happens! VOTE FOR TANNER!

UPDATE: Well, the election has come and gone; Tanner did not win, but he did give an excellent speech. I went up to watch him and I was so proud of the job that he did. He wore a shirt that I made; it was an iron on that I printed from the computer and on to his shirt. It said "Go for the Gold, (with a picture of a gold medal) Vote Tanner for Secretary." That was his theme on all his posters. He was a little dissappointed, but he said he will try again next year. We are glad that he had a great experience with this, and that his confidence is not shaken. Last year he was student rep, and had a lot of fun, so I am sure he will do something like that again in the future.