“We had to choose our options today Mummy?”
“Oh really” I said, only half listening to Ava (this was Wednesday afternoon - post pre-school gardening club, post school, post gym club and, in my defence, I hadn’t had a cup of tea for at least two hours).
“Yes we can choose three things from a list; stuff like computers, multi-skills, football, gardening…”
“Gardening?” I am suddenly alert.
“Yes, Mummy.”
“So what did you choose?”
“Book club, computers and…. cheerleading”.
“Oh”. I am trying to sound upbeat at this point. It doesn’t work. I know this because my seven-year-old daughter’s voice suddenly becomes gentler and she says:
“I would have chosen gardening…. if they let us have a fourth option.”
She is only a knee pat away from being downright condescending.
Still on the bright side, Oscar opted gardening although I have to admit it was only number two on his list… after cheerleading.
High School Musical and Glee have a lot to answer for.
I love the way she looks after you! And let's face it, she is lucky, she can learn about gardening at home. I'm not entirely sure you could turn to you for advice on cheerleading so her choice makes perfect sense.
Posted by: elizabethm | September 19, 2010 at 12:47 PM
He he he. Options at 7!!
Posted by: TheMadHouse | September 19, 2010 at 03:06 PM
Love it, wow options at 7, not sure I would be able to pick even at my age :-)
Posted by: Scented Sweetpeas | September 19, 2010 at 03:50 PM
But cheerleading is so IN!! Thanks to all those US soaps. We have a cheerleading club at the Uni I work and they win prizes!
Posted by: Helen | September 19, 2010 at 07:54 PM
Elizabeth - Are you insinuating I can't cut it in the cheerleading stakes? I'll have you know I can shake my pom-poms with the best of them (although admittedly, my splits are lacking in commitment)
TheMadHouse/Scented Sweetpeas - options actually start at 5. Decisions, decisions, decisions - can't believe they begin so early.
Helen - I have a feeling mine won't be winning any major trophies any time soon so you can let the Uni Cheerleading Club know they can relax.
Posted by: Dawn | September 20, 2010 at 09:59 AM
Clearly you need to do some cheerleading at home...then they would both go for the gardening. Maybe you should tell Ava that you used to be sooo good at cheerleading and will happily come into school to give a demonstration in front of all her friends. Im guessing that 7 is well old enough to have developed a healthy embarrassment at anything yr parents do - so her sense of galloping shame should be enough for her to drop cheerleading sharpish
Posted by: Mark D | September 20, 2010 at 10:05 AM
Mark - This might work (particularly because I'm delusional enough to think I would be soooo good).
Posted by: Dawn | September 21, 2010 at 02:37 PM
Two of mine are the same - except it's football. Trust me cheerleading will soon be so last year though I bet your itching to shake those pom poms in the meantime!
Posted by: Countrygate.wordpress.com | September 24, 2010 at 12:32 PM
CountryGate - you are right, I am more than partial to a pom pom.
Posted by: Dawn | September 27, 2010 at 11:58 AM