Support even illogical choices

While out on a motorcycle ride today I saw a kids' lemonade stand and was struck by the thought to support your kids' activities and choices (those that are moral, ethical, etc.); even those that may not make a lot of sense or be so logical, but can be learning experiences for them.

Case in point with you, Jonathan.

The school district we lived in began its band program in late grade school.  For years you talked about playing the drums.  All you wanted to do was play the drums.  So we figured when the time came to select an instrument for the school band - you'd be playing the drums.

The school district had an specific way they had the students choose their instruments.  Over the course of a few nights in one of the high school gyms all the local music stores and rental companies displayed their instruments by type and the incoming 5th grade students could come in, try them out, and select the instrument they wanted.

Again, you wanted to play drums.  You'd talked about it for years.  Wanted to play drums.

So, you, your brother, and your mom went to the school gym to select your instruments.  Joel picked trumpet, which he'd previously expressed interest in.  You, however, got a little distracted.  It seems near the front of the gym before you got to the percussion section, was the flute section manned by an attractive, blond woman who must have had the right guile and words to say because you came home with a flue and you strongly emphasized that's what you had wanted to play all along.

So we supported you in that decision during your 5th grade year, because we moved to Chicago at the beginning of your 6th grade year and you promptly switched to drums.  And stuck with that decision.

Just a little, silly decision that we could have overturned the night of the instrument selection, but better to let you make that smallish decision and support you in it.