Another trip to the Principal's office..........................

Yesterday morning was a struggle for my youngest. Her alarm didn't go off (which usually means it goes off a few hours after she leaves for school which is an extreme irritant for me), and then her car didn't start (did I tell you it is cold here?) which meant she had to walk an entire four blocks to school. Of course her gloves were frozen because they had gotten wet the day before while she was running, and instead of bringing them inside she left them in her car overnight. Lucky for her mom has a stash of gloves because "no gloves" does not constitute a good enough reason for her to drive my truck the four "l-o-n-g c-o-l-d blocks to school. (This would be a great place for one of those "when I was your age" stories, but I will spare you. It is a given that the kid is spoiled!) Let's just leave it with her mumbling about "her horrible life" as she trudged off towards school.

Fast forward to after school, and her much improved mood. She decided to run only a couple of miles (that cold snap again) and then lift weights at the school. The guys were also inside running sprints (can't do this on the ice safely), and the cheer team was practicing as well. The problem comes in whereas the cheer team was practicing in the dome (the place where all the hallways come together) and this was getting in the way of the guys. Actually, I am sure the guys were fine with things as they would simply mow down any of the girls that were in their way at the time, it was the cheer coach that was really having the problem with the situation.

First let me say that I am still unclear as to why this was any of my youngest's business (she tells me it is because "when she cheered they ALWAYS practiced in the commons and EVERYONE knows this is their place, and that they had no right to be in the dome in the first place, and the cheer coach had no business yelling at the guys, and the guys were being FAR to nice about things and someone needed to step in and set the record straight." Clear as mud right?), but insinuate herself into the middle of it she did.

Apparently, she told the cheer coach what I quoted above, and apparently the cheer coach was NOT pleased to have a teenager butting into her business. As my youngest was walking away the coach was asking the girls "for that girls name" so she could turn her in to the Principal. My youngest thought this was pretty amusing, but I am pretty sure she kept the laughter to herself as she walked away.

The four block walk home did nothing to cool her off, and when she got to the part in the story about the principal, I did laugh - out loud! I am absolutely positive that the last person the Principal wants to have to deal with is my daughter.

Don't worry, I did my parent thing and had the discussion about showing respect for adults, and minding one's own business. My arguments were pretty weak however seeing that my youngest really acted far more adult like than the adult in the story. We all know how far one gets with yelling and acting "authoritative" when dealing with young people. In my opinion this woman could have used this problem as a time to demonstrate (and thus teach) consideration, mutual respect, and compromise.

Bottom line for my child (and you knew this was coming) she got up extra early this morning so that she could visit the principal with her concerns herself. She plans to tell him that he needs to set the cheer coach straight on where they are to practice and how she is to treat other students. I am pretty sure that her "demands" will fall on deaf ears, but I applaud her follow through and the fact that she is willing to stand up for her beliefs and her fellow track members. And since she still has not gotten her money or her T-shirt back from the principal, I can't say that I am feeling anything but happy that the principal will at least have to go through the motions of listening to her concerns. Consider it his just reward for being an idiot. I do!