All you have to do is believe in yourself…

…but if you can’t even do that, you’re a failure!

Today on the way home from school, Ray announced that she was going to buy a baby and travel around the world when she grew up.

“Adopt a baby?” I said.

“Adopt,” she agreed.

“Why?”

“Because no boys like me,” she said. “So I will adopt a baby and travel all around the world.”

I had to laugh. And then I gave her the “boys are stupid” talk.* I did, however, reassure her that boys do grow up to be men, eventually, and they will think very well of her then indeed. Although if she still wants to adopt a baby and travel around the world, I’ll be okay with that if I can go with her sometimes.

By the time we got home, I thought we were in the clear. Uh-uh. The teacher had sent home a worksheet that was all about “talent.” All kinds of remarkable kids with lots of talent! More talent than you! More talen than GOD! After reading about all those kids, Ray had to draw a picture of what she was good at. Sheesh. So she’d drawn a picture of herself swinging, because that’s all she could come up with at that point.

I told her all the things she was good at–I’ve had to do this before–and she was able to add some that I forgot from the last time I had to list these things, so I hope she’s feeling better.

“Mom,” she said finally, “it’s hard to know what you’re going to be good at when you’re just a kid.”

I agree.

*Like the sex talk, no doubt the first of many.