Am I Popular Yet?

I think if you have to ask, your not. Is that right? This is not one of those post though.

This is really about my daughter running for Student Body V. P. at her elementary school. What is a student body election really? Is it a popularity contest?  Is it about validation? Is it about picking the best person for the job? Picking the most responsible person? The one with the cutest slogan? The one with the best speech? The one who dresses the nicest? The one who is most athletic? The one who is friendliest? The best looking? The funniest? The teacher's pet? The smartest? What is the answer? Someone please tell me.

Growing up I think I ran for student body office every year from 6th grade on. I won a grand total of... never. I never even made it past the preliminary round. I was never in the top two for a position. I never made a poster. I never gave a speech. Yet, for some reason I ran every year. Two of my sisters were on the high school student council, so I think I just assumed that I would get elected as well. John Adams, John Quincy Adams, the Kennedy family, the Bush family. All electable families. I guess I assumed mine was as well. Turns out I am not a Kennedy. Who knew?

With Sophia running this year I thought for sure my losing streak was over. It's not like I gave birth to the child or made her posters or anything. I did both of those things so it's okay to say, "my losing streak." Her poster was adorable. Her slogan cute and catchy, "Mama Mia! Vote Sophia!" She even had a cute little helper during her speech, Dylan dressed as Mario. Sophia is cute, friendly, and smart. She knows a lot of people, most of the sixth grade and some of the fifth. Fifth and sixth were the ones voting for the positions. I honestly thought we had this thing in the bag. Again, it's okay for me to say, "we." I'm not living through my daughter, I'm just supporting her in her dreams!!!

She did make it through the primary election. It was her and a boy from the fifth grade for the final election for VP. Come on a little fifth grader against my tall amazing daughter? Of course she would win, no problem. You can imagine my surprise on Friday when she told me after school that she was not elected. What??!! My perfect (mostly) child not elected? How is that possible? We still don't know, but I am totally betting on a conspiracy. I don't know what it is yet, but I'm sure it's there. The boy conspiracy? The smaller kid conspiracy? The fifth grader conspiracy? The favorite of the administration conspiracy? I don't know. I'm just saying it goes against all logic. Now you may say that this other kid had just as much right to win as Sophia. That may be so, but I'm sticking with the conspiracy theory.

She took it very well. She acted very mature, not a tear shed. I don't know if she plans to run again. Congratulations to Miss Sophia for taking a chance and making it as far as she did.

I'm puzzled as to why kids do it at all. Now that I'm away from it all it just sounds like more work to me and why would I go looking for more work? Okay, really I think it's about being involved and making a difference. Most of us want that, right? We want to make our world a better place. I've decided my kind of race is the one where I'm the only one running. I'm pretty sure that I am the most popular and will totally be elected as the best Jennifer Lynn Pelo Rawlings the world has ever seen. I'm a winner!!

Here's a funny election speech from one of my favorite new shows, The Middle.