Our American Idols

If you are hoping this post has something to do with the TV show, just stop reading now.

I'm just not into it this season. I don't even remotely care who wins. Besides, my kids have their own AI's. Their teachers.

My kids have some serious adoration for their teachers. Which, of course, I'm thrilled about. On so many levels. I know each of those ladies fairly well now and believe all of them to be of unbelievable character and talent. They are engaging, fun, hip, nuturing and cool. They run their classrooms like well-oiled machines. To top it off, they look good doing it.

And ... to hear my kids tell it ... NOTHING like me. If I wasn't so chock-full of self-esteem, this would start to get to me. Comments like...

"Mom, how come YOU don't write write/draw/paint like Mrs. R?"
"Why do WE only have ONE dog? Mrs. R has three."
"When Mrs. R reads to us, SHE uses lots of funny voices."
"Mom, when will you grow your hair out like Mrs. R? Hers is curly AND long. And not gray at all."
"How come WE have to buy our soap at Wal-Mart? Mrs. R makes all of hers at home."

Yep...Mrs. R is divine. She has a multitude of artistic talents that include cool voices and soap making. She also has mad calligraphy skills. I don't draw. Or paint. I barely remember to feed the one dog I do have. I'm just going to bite my tongue about the hair. Especially because the onset of the gray hair coincidentally began right around the time Emma was born.

It's not just Emma. The peanut gallery also includes the Kindergartner.

"Mom, instead of saying my name louder, you should just say "1..2..3.. Eyes on Me - like Mrs. E does." (Um ... why don't you just listen the first time? Or two?)
"How come you never wear pretty dresses like Mrs. E?" (Because spit up and playdough go much better with T-shirts and jean shorts.)
"Mom, were you ever pretty like Mrs. E?" (Well ... maybe. Years ago. Ask Daddy. He married me didn't he?")

I don't have the heart to inform Grayson that the moon has been here for millions of years. He thinks Mrs. E hung it. The stars too. I'm already feeling sorry for his 1st grade teacher. She'll have a hard time measuring up. And Mr. E better just watch himself. One false move and Grayson would be glad to marry his wife.

Kids pay attention. For years I've worried about who they'll pay attention to. What kind of "role model" will they want to emulate? The athletes? the actresses? the singers?

Not right now. Right now, they are in love with their teachers. Mrs. R, Mrs. E, Miss J and Miss T are the standard to which everyone else is compared. And I am NOT making the cut.

It's OK. Because if they make my kids happy while helping them learn .. then I'm in love with them too.