American Girl...And Her Nurotic Daddy

Cin just sent me this picture of Allie getting ready to model in an American Girl Doll fashion show later this morning. It looks like she will be in an upcoming issue of the American Girl Doll catalog. I am not sure how I feel about this. I was very luke-warm towards the whole idea, something seems wrong about letting young girls model and the kids are in so many activities already that I have turned my truck into a mobile home away from home, complete with school supplies, snacks, PJs, and tooth brushes. Allie really wanted to do the fashion show, she had her heart set on going up and down the catwalk.

Allie does have an impressive collection of American Girl Dolls but mainly she plays "business woman" with all my old lap tops and her toy cell phones. When Allie's friends come over to play, she makes them work for her in a make believe business. It was cute at first but I am the poster child of overly protective neurotic fathers and I try to read way too much into things. I really just want to be a good dad and send my kids off more well adjusted than me. Allie is very aware of material things. She doesn't ask for much; Allie is happy just going to the Dollar Store with a buck to spend. I'm not a huge fan of that store but I did find a copy of Chris Carmichael's book Food for Fitness for $1 there last night. Where Allie's focus on material things is noticeable is with food and houses and salaries.

The only thing she will eat at McDonalds is the yogurt parfait. She likes to go to Amer's (a nice delicatessen) or Thai Express (the best restaurant in the world). She enjoys driving through this very nice neighborhood near her school just to look at the houses and pick out the one she wants to live in; I mean a few times a week we do this. And she asks me what everyone we come in contact with makes (the cashier at Borders, doctors, etc.). It has gotten to a point where she guesses people's yearly salary with alarming accuracy. This was a cute game at first but I am getting a little concerned. I have really tired to down play material things in front of the kids and have gone out of my way to disassociate money with self-worth.

Supreme court justices make about $200,000 a year. I heard earlier this week that Judge Judy makes $25 million a year for her silly daytime TV program. I used this as an example with Allie so she never ever ties self-worth to money, that just wouldn't make sense. I try very hard to make my kids see their self-worth is so much higher than something as silly as a house, or money, or their career.

I didn't go watch Allie model today because I wanted to get in a long road ride. Iceman is just a few weeks away. My self-worth is very closely tied to how quickly I can go between Kalkaska and Travers City.