I’ve known for the last couple of years that my daughter was developing into a cunning political opponent, as we have recently been debating many serious topics at home and the consequences on the macro-economic platform within our house … when she does not get the clothes she needs or if we demand she does her homework on time.

Some days I go to bed wondering what exactly happened while having dinner, as we spend more time trying to persuade our daughter to do homework rather than eating, to which she simply replied that there’s not economical benefit to her for doing homework on time and that her teacher is displaying dictator tendencies!  Just because she asks the kids to do homework!?

She has the ability to drive us parents up the wall and tests our patience many times as she constantly refuses to agree to what we suggest, even if it means that she gets an 8% allowance increase starting 1 November.  Most conversations we have end up being debated for hours.

Let me just remind the audience that the girl is only 9-year-old and has just started 4th grade, so it’s all ahead of us.  I do honestly believe that some of these discussions are from my wife’s side – her rebellious South American roots strikes again and the stubbornness that runs in her veins also flows in my daughter’s veins.

Me?  I’m a gentle loving bear that just wants to get along with everybody and has no interest in arguments and is not hot-headed or stubborn.  I’m sure my wife would vehemently disagree with that paragraph 🙂

Anyway, so it should come as a surprise that my daughter wants to run for the student council and has started to prepare her political campaign.  A campaign that I’m certain that I have to fund somehow, despite not fully knowing what promises she will be giving to her would-be followers.

It was however a very proud moment when she asked me for advice on her speech, so I was very enthusiastic about providing gold nuggets for her content, only to be overruled by her somewhat dictatorial outbursts to my suggestions.

Her speech was short and to the point.  “Vote for me!  I would be great for the council and I love to help people”.

Well, it was a fair bit longer than that sentence, and it was well written.  The only concern I have is that the skills she mention in her speech have rarely materialised within the house, which leads me to wonder if her appearance is toned down slightly while in public.  I’m by no means suggesting that my daughter has dual personality, it’s just that she states she helps everybody … I guess we don’t count as everybody and that chores in the house is not considered helping, more like modern child labour.

Most of the class has decided to put their names forward for the council, and only one boy and one girl can be elected.  It’ll be a tough fight and I sincerely hope that she gets elected.  But, if she doesn’t, then I’ll be there to offer moral support and comfort her.

I’m very proud of my daughter for starting her political career already, and I’m convinced she’ll do very well with anything she puts her mind to.

– it’s just a shame her chores and homework doesn’t get the same level of attention 🙂