Friday, July 10, 2009

It's All in the Genes

As much as my daughter hates to admit it, she is turning into me more and more each day----and it's happening a whole lot faster than the transformation I went through with my own mother.

Those of you who are regular readers to this blog or know me personally, know that my daughter is not only in college but she is also trying to raise her soon-to-be-three-year-old son. It's a juggling act and although I never wanted to be a part of this circus, I have been recruited and am doing my best to fulfill my role as primary caregiver while she's away at school.

But that's not what this blog is all about.

Over the past week, my daughter has been trying to set up her son's 3rd birthday party at one of our local parks for September 6. Although she will be back in school, she wanted to get everything pre-arranged by paying the required fee to host the party.

After several phone calls and left voicemails, she finally got through to someone in the Parks & Recreation dept., and was told the park she wanted was already rented. She was frustrated because she felt if someone had returned her initial phone call or any of the several calls she made afterwards, she might've been able to book the park she wanted. To make a long story short, she did exactly what I would've done in the same situation. She complained about the poor customer service--the lack of response. She even went so far as to schedule an appearance before the City Council to voice her grievance.

But lo and behold, the Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation came to the rescue and, surprisingly, my daughter discovered the park she wanted was available because the person who wanted it had not paid the required deposit.

Needless to say, my daughter was quite proud of her accomplisments as a young woman and mother who will, undoubtedly, be taking on many more battles throughtout her adult life.

I was proud too because despite some of the failures I've made as a parent, I see that my daughter has that same feisty spirit. She can handle herself under the pressure. It's all in the genes---and I guess we both have my mother to thank for that.

4 comments:

Eileen Williams said...

Brava for you both!!!

I admire your tenacity and grace under pressure. You don't fold easily or go along just to go along. I've done more than my share of cave-ins and forfeited my personal power many times.
But, notice that sentence was written in the past-tense! Now that I'm older, I'm developing my own feisty spirit. YAY! Maybe that's why I call my blog the FEISTY side of fifty!

Pam Archer said...

You have taught your daughter well, Beverly! Too many people give up at the first road block that pops up on there quest for success. Good for Janie, that she didn't take no for an answer before she thoroughly investigated the situation, and looked at other solutions. The end result was that she was able to get what she wanted for Jarod.

If this is any indication of the future, she will be following her momma's blueprints to achieve her dreams, too.

Anonymous said...

One of my daughter's favorite quotes is "mirror mirror on the wall, I am my mother after all! I got her that plaque when her daughter (2nd child) was born. She tells me everyday, she here's me in her voice (and sometimes her head). Kinda scary and as you said, nice to know she is carrying on the family role....

Heidi Richards Mooney

rosie said...

You are leaving a legacy of self motivation and self determination. All firmly rooted on a spiritually fertilized soil
Bravo!

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