Friday, September 19, 2008

Inner Superstar...oh yeah, we all have one!

One of many things I have learned as a mother and teacher is that everyone has an inner superstar just waiting to be set free.

Picture this: My son, we call him Coler Moler, has been repeatedly informed not to jump on the couch, yet I still find him standing on the arm of the couch. He proceeds to dive (yes, literally) into a pile of pillows on the floor.
Me: "What the?"
Coler Moler: "No mom, I am not finished with the stunt."
Before I can blink, he is back on the arm of the couch, and this time shows me what he has in the cannonball department.
Coler Moler: "Mom, watch this, watch this. Oh, that rocked. Ok, so what do you give it?"
Me: "Have you lost your mind, what do you mean what do I give it? I give it a time-out is what I give it."
Insert image of Coler Moler, looking all forlorn, no twinkle left in those little eyes. I am a mother who has managed to crush a spirit....ughhhh! Yes, he does believe this feat will one day be an Olympic sport. So, I cave.
Me: "Ok, I give it a 10."
Just like that, his inner superstar has been set free, twinkle returns to the eyes, and his world is suddenly right again. Whew, close call.
He walks away. He knows someday he will be the Gold medal winner in the diving off couches into pillows event. Who am I to crush his superstar? We have the rest of his life for that, right?

On the playground, my students yell: "Teacher, teacher look at this...look at me...I am so strong...I can run so fast." Everyday I have the chance to help kids set their inner superstar free...so cool! Inner superstars fed...check!

What I have realized is that I am not too different from these children. I have an inner superstar too, and she wants out. I think I am on to something. In the middle of the night, my inner superstar woke me up. You should blog about me, she said. Not now superstar, I need my beauty rest. After all, I have no team of stylists waiting on me in the a.m.

And then it hit me, I know why I blog. My superstar likes being fed. There, I admitted it.
Seriously, why do people blog? For journaling purposes, for posterity, as a forum to share important information, to learn from others? The list could go on forever.

I am not too proud to admit, I love this spot. My spot where I can go and tell it like it is. And people tell me how great I am, or how terrible they think I am. But, if they say I am no good, well I tap one little key, and their comments are flushed away like the stinky poop that they are! I love it. I can revel in my own superstarness and no one knows the difference.

Really, how often as adults does reveling in your superstardom happen? How often does someone give you a 10, or feed your inner superstar?

So I say, set your superstar free, if only for a few minutes a day. And don't forget to feed others' superstardom while you are at it.

For now I am off to tame my four year old daughter. Her inner humility wants to be set free, she already knows she is a superstar!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

very funny -- I feel like that most of the time also.

Anonymous said...

You are my superstar

Unknown said...

You crack me up. I'm superstar, you're superstar, we're all superstars...wouldn't you like to be a superstar too!! Oh, wait that's Dr. Pepper!

Anonymous said...

Oh, of course you are....
always have been our "superstar."

It is about time your little Dr. Pepper snorting "inner superstar" is front and center....
hey don't you wish you could just "hit one little button" and make some people actually disappear!

Rachel Mohat said...

You are absolutely hilarious! I love it! I can't believe I knew you oh so long ago! What I was like 12 maybe, and here it is 16 years later, and while I looked up to you at 12, I continue to look up to you. You have so much power, charisma, spunk, leadership, and the list goes on. You are fabulous Natalie, keep up the good work, you really are a superstar!

Rachel Mohat said...

Ok maybe I am pushing it a bit, i may not have been 12 but maybe a tad older, maybe 15 but still I continue to look up to you!