Gently Nudged

We went to A’s big movie premiere for her camp, and it was fun. A loves making movies, and I think it’s a great direction for her to pursue because it addresses her creative inclinations as well as her technically savvy ways, especially with computers since everything is digital, at least at this level. N and I picked up A’s buddy ES and we attended the screening, which is a lot of fun to watch.

Afterward BF mentioned that A could intern as a future counselor, who are all high school students. It’s really a way to get your foot in the door for more experience doing digital media, as well as gaining more experience in TV production. As it turns out, she will intern for the beginner’s session, which involves younger kids. Naturally we thought N might be interested, though he often has reservations about trying new things. This is where mom and dad had to step in.

I had pretty much decided that he should do the session, for a number of reasons. First off, he’s a really good performer in front of the camera and on the stage, it’s just that the idea of it doesn’t appeal to him. When he actually does it, he has a blast. A good example of this was clown camp, where the counselors raved about him and his sister and how great they were at performing and being in character. I think it surprised a lot of people because he’s generally calm, cool, and collected. Secondly, his sister is going to be a counselor, so he’s not all by himself, and she tends to bring out the best in him when it comes to performing. I also thought it would be a good way for him to meet more kids his age, and not just hang with A’s friends.

Finally, I think it’s good for him to get out of the house. A has all sorts of camps and activities, and during this time, N is at home with me. This means I’m the entertainment coordinator for a young boy, which at times can be challenging. Often it can be fun going golfing or playing tennis, or better yet, hitting the ice and playing hockey, but I can’t afford to do that all day long. There is just way too much to do, and it’s good for a kid to broaden their horizons beyond what their boring parents have to offer.

With this in mind, I really thought he should do it. He hemmed and hawed, but never gave a definitive “no,” which meant that there was hope. Sure, we could have forced the issue and gave him no choice in the matter, but that doesn’t seem fair. Either way, he said he’d go for it, and sure enough, he had a blast. He really enjoyed the first day, and he and his sister could “talk shop” about the latest in digital movie-making technology. In fact, that’s just what they did on the ride home, a sure-fire indicator that a good time was had by all.

Man, I love when that happens. The beauty is that now I have the day to do fun stuff for myself, like cook meals, make falafels and build corner thingies for the barn. After that, as a reward to myself, I’ll mow the lawn and split wood. Life sure is good for a real-man in training.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to davidd for the pic.