Geeked out math-letes

Here’s my son, 13, 8th grade, athlete, math-lete. What? Math-lete? That’s odd. Yeah… he is one of 6 eighth-graders chosen to represent his school at the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Contest. It’s an individual competition with an opportunity to advance to the state finals. You know what? I am more excited about him excelling in math than about his basketball or track or even football accomplishments.

Hmm. I have a math geek for a son. Gotta tell you… I am proud of that. I am even more proud of his decision to be one. He once told Roxann and I that he could be popular but didn’t like the decisions he saw them making. So he chooses to geek out.

I always thought I would grow up, have kids, see them excel in sport, and be proud about it. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad Chase likes basketball and track. Oddly enough, I am super proud of his excellent math skills.

Just thought I would brag on him a little bit.

9th grade band

….I am amazed at where I can find the most profound examples of leadership development. They are everywhere. If we experience life at all we can find incredible stories (good and bad) of lessons learned or not learned. Here are two from my life.
….When my oldest son was first starting in tee ball he had the idea that everyone was going to let him win. I vividly remember the first time he was running home. It was the classic footrace. My son against another boy who was intent on getting him out. Chase (my son) was goofing off running home and was tagged out. He cried and cried. It was tough for me too.
….What an opportunity though. I was able to use that moment to teach Chase a brief but important lesson about life. People will not always let him win, he must earn it. Over the years we have learned discipline, confidence, teamwork, humility and the concept of “being part of something bigger than you” – these are all lessons we (myself included) have learned from my children’s involvement in sports.
….In contrast, my ninth grade year I experienced something I had never seen nor heard of before… marching band. I had been in band for a couple of years and liked it well enough but I had no idea what marching band was all about. I whined to my parents and my dad got me out of it. I got to play but didn’t have to march. I learned that day that I didn’t have to play well with others. I didn’t have to participate. I had special priviledges. I know my parents thought they were helping me out but they weren’t. It took me years realize that the world wasn’t created to give me whatever I wanted. That was a tough lesson to learn.

….There are things that help shape us, they make us who we are, they form us for leadership, they form us for life. Some of the stories we tell are not pretty, some are dynamic, all are relevant.

Some girls like lava…

So I’m talking to Noah, my 9 year old son, about my Leadership and Diversity class I am taking. Part of the class has to do with gender and how we distinguish between boys and girls.

This is his observation: “Dad, your class is hard. Boys and girls are different. But some girls like boy stuff. They like video games and lava and blisters. But some girls like nice dresses and animals, too.”

This is from the same kid who went out and bought a punching bag because, “Boys punch things.” and who asked me, “Dad, can I do a man thing? Can I drink out of the 2 liter bottle of coke?”

He makes me laugh… a lot