Tuna Kids Kick Tailfin

The last few weeks have been pretty good ones for the Tuna kids.

I'm not one to brag about my kids. Much, anyway.

*Side note: I deliberated over that sentence for quite a while. Do I brag about my kids? Those of you who know me in real life need to weigh in. If I am prone to brag about my kids at all it is usually about their sweet natures and early bedtime. Right? Anyway...

My son brought a letter home from school last week. He apparently has, "...exceptional promise at and interest in mathematics." The math specialist has put him on an accelerated home study program.

Woo hoo. My kid's smart.

Okay, those who know him would give me a big, "Well, duh!" on that one. Especially when it comes to math. But it is nice to have my own thoughts confirmed.

And my daughter got the lead role in her class play.

This is an especially sweet success for her, and I hope it will be a huge confidence booster. For a week their homework was to read the script and decide which part they'd like to try out for. She kept telling us she wanted to be Cat #6 or Child #3. After much discussion, she finally told us that even though she wanted to be the lead, she knew she wouldn't get it.

That just about broke my heart.

She got big speeches from both of us about how she's just as good, if not better, than anyone and how she has every right to try out for the biggest role. We talked about risk and rejection. And about giving everything your best shot.

I was so happy for her.

Dealing with your kids failures is easy. At least for me. I blame it all on me. Dealing with their successes is a bit more complex.

My first reaction is to think that they were born with these talents. I give them all the credit for trying hard and letting their talent shine.

But I think it is important to remember a parent's role in a kid's success. Maybe my son's innate math abilities were developed because of all of the music education I exposed him to, starting in the womb. Maybe my daughter's innate dramatic flair was developed by all the reading I did to her, starting in the womb.

It's important to recognize your hand in your child's success, especially when it is not your inclination to do so, so that you can learn what works, remember that what you do day in and day out has positive effects, and be motivated to keep working hard for your kids.

All I know is that right now, I'm really proud of my kids. They're all mine and I love them to pieces.