The other day my 9 y/o was having a meltdown over many things, one of them being a fear that Trump would send her reading buddy, a Kindergarten student at her school whose family are immigrants, back to their home country. After my own shock and sadness about her having to deal with this wore off, we went over a lot of what you wrote here.
It's nice to read this and remind myself that I'm not alone in this and that a lot of us are fighting the good fight. I'm trying to find optimism where I can, and like Jason Isbell sang, "There can't be more of them than us." I still believe that and (if only for my kids) I have to believe that we're going to come out alright.
Pickles is an absolute S-tier elementary school nickname.
I like to think there’s a Scooter Heinz out there. Looks like Scott, but with a twirly mustache. Loves Xavier, the Ravens, the Knicks and the Rangers (he doesn’t care for baseball, thinks it’s boring and old). He eats unseasoned, boiled chicken breasts, has never eaten three eggs in the same day, and gets his news from the 10th best cast member of Newsradio.
I'd add one more, "Find your voice." We've been working with our oldest about on this topic lately about being confident to speak out when she sees something wrong or someone doing something wrong to her (like kids stuff, not that stuff). It's a learning moment when you are trying to teach how to advocate for yourself and realizing that you should also walk the walk.
My wife's paternal grandfather was nicknamed Pickles. The first ten years of our relationship I only knew him as Grandpa Pickles, learning his name was Delmar when we visited him in the hospital the day after our wedding. Apparently he and his siblings were left home alone for a weekend when he was seven and he ate nothing but pickles the entire time.
At his funeral, at least five people, including the priest leading the mass, told my father-in-law that they had known him at least a decade (the priest) and up to thirty years, without ever knowing his real name until that day.
That grandpa and grandma were apparently slightly estranged from the family, and seeing the slideshow and hearing the testimonials about him from random people at the wake, dude sounded like an absolutely stellar hang.
Apparently the first white union homebuilder to hire black workers in Milwaukee (unverified, but somebody said it)
Oof. My kids are about the same age and we've been having versions of this conversation a lot. I try very hard to watch my language (none of the bad words they know came from me!) But after our car ride conversation about "who are you voting for and why" I had a moment of panic because I wasn't sure how much of what was on my mind I actually said out loud.
This one is transcendent Scott, a bit like your piece on your son and the diving board; themes we all can take to heart in order to get through this. Thanks
The other day my 9 y/o was having a meltdown over many things, one of them being a fear that Trump would send her reading buddy, a Kindergarten student at her school whose family are immigrants, back to their home country. After my own shock and sadness about her having to deal with this wore off, we went over a lot of what you wrote here.
It's nice to read this and remind myself that I'm not alone in this and that a lot of us are fighting the good fight. I'm trying to find optimism where I can, and like Jason Isbell sang, "There can't be more of them than us." I still believe that and (if only for my kids) I have to believe that we're going to come out alright.
Pickles is an absolute S-tier elementary school nickname.
I like to think there’s a Scooter Heinz out there. Looks like Scott, but with a twirly mustache. Loves Xavier, the Ravens, the Knicks and the Rangers (he doesn’t care for baseball, thinks it’s boring and old). He eats unseasoned, boiled chicken breasts, has never eaten three eggs in the same day, and gets his news from the 10th best cast member of Newsradio.
I must destroy him.
Just let nature and his Cybertruck run its course
You know you've made it when the kids know it's #BeefWeekend.
On a serious note, Scott, this is great stuff, and not just for the kids in our lives.
I'd add one more, "Find your voice." We've been working with our oldest about on this topic lately about being confident to speak out when she sees something wrong or someone doing something wrong to her (like kids stuff, not that stuff). It's a learning moment when you are trying to teach how to advocate for yourself and realizing that you should also walk the walk.
I think this one is really important.
gonna add a "proofread" bullet point here, as I just *now* realized I'd made the title "what we can do?" instead of "what can we do?"
the people responsible have been sacked, etc
"What we can do? Well I'LL TELL YA WHAT WE CAN DO!! HIT IT BOYS!"
*proceeds to dazzle you with the meanest two-step and jazz hands you've ever seen*
I came into this expecting slightly more emotional terrorism
[Extremely Sean Connery voice]:
"Scooter? Scooter! Scooter is the dog's name."
Perfectly fine dog name. I’m thinking a terrier or a spaniel. Not for me, though.
Agreed. (Said terrier's nom de internet is Squirrel Doggy.)
One of my best friends named his son the same thing as the dog he had in high school (Zeke) and I have absolutely run this joke into the ground
Regarding the nickname Pickles,
My wife's paternal grandfather was nicknamed Pickles. The first ten years of our relationship I only knew him as Grandpa Pickles, learning his name was Delmar when we visited him in the hospital the day after our wedding. Apparently he and his siblings were left home alone for a weekend when he was seven and he ate nothing but pickles the entire time.
At his funeral, at least five people, including the priest leading the mass, told my father-in-law that they had known him at least a decade (the priest) and up to thirty years, without ever knowing his real name until that day.
Good nickname, Pickles. Keep it if you get it.
This is amazing.
That grandpa and grandma were apparently slightly estranged from the family, and seeing the slideshow and hearing the testimonials about him from random people at the wake, dude sounded like an absolutely stellar hang.
Apparently the first white union homebuilder to hire black workers in Milwaukee (unverified, but somebody said it)
Bravo, Scott. Love this.
Thank you!
Oof. My kids are about the same age and we've been having versions of this conversation a lot. I try very hard to watch my language (none of the bad words they know came from me!) But after our car ride conversation about "who are you voting for and why" I had a moment of panic because I wasn't sure how much of what was on my mind I actually said out loud.
Some of the bad words come from me…
most of the bad words come from me!
This one is transcendent Scott, a bit like your piece on your son and the diving board; themes we all can take to heart in order to get through this. Thanks
Inspirational, as always. Thank you, Scott.
"If Oregon Trail was good enough for Prince, it's good enough for you!" -conversations I imagine in the Hines Household.
Really terrific stuff thank you.
Hines? Like Duncan?
PS: you know who ELSE faced a 3-1 deficit in a world championship series in 2016?
Wow, you’re going to come in here and talk about surprising victories in the *fall* of 2016? Problematic IMO
My immediate thought on the Hines/Heinz section was "Hines? Like the Steelers receiver?"