Dad Blog!
Art Thompson – Official Chauffeur of Jr. Miss Teen
North Dakota International 2017
This photo is perhaps my favorite picture of our
daughter. It captures the pure joy, disbelief and excitement, all at once, that
comes from achieving a longstanding goal that she set for herself – competing in
and ultimately winning the Jr. Miss Teen North Dakota International Pageant.
I will be the first to admit that I was not thrilled at
the idea of our daughter wanting to go down this road. Most of my hesitation
came from my lack of understanding of the value that can be gained from these
programs. My opinion has since changed.
So far this year, I’ve been able to watch our daughter
excel in several different areas. Just a warning, the next few paragraphs may be
a Biased Dad speaking, but some of these same benefits can be seen, not just
with Alexis, but also with the other title holders we’ve gotten to know from the
other divisions.
I have watched in amazement as Alexis has given
hour-long presentations to various groups without missing a beat. Her
self-confidence, poise and public speaking abilities have risen to a level that
makes me even question – is she really only 10 years old? Public speaking is a
skill that will carry over into every facet of her life, from school to career.
Throughout this year, she is getting plenty of practice developing this skill
set and she has learned to enjoy it.
I’ve also seen her grow in her understanding and
appreciation for the good things in life and to be grateful for all that she has
been blessed with. This year, Alexis has helped grant a Make- A-Wish; raised
funds and provided gifts to homeless shelters for families with children; and
takes part in events benefiting the American Heart Association, the God’s Child
Project, and more. All of these experiences allow us as parents to remind our
daughter to be humble, grateful, and kind and to give back to society whenever
and wherever possible.
Although I’m the one writing this month’s blog, to be
fair, I need to give thanks to my wife for the time and energy she has put in to
making this year a successful and fun experience for Alexis. They have traveled
many miles to take part in many events. This is time well spent and it has
helped strengthen their relationship and to further solidify the bond they have
as mother and daughter. I too, am thankful for the time that I have with Alexis,
mostly as her chauffeur in various parades. I joke that I’m going to need the
funny hat to go with my newfound role. She rolls her eyes at my Dad jokes and I
do my best to “not embarrass” her… Whether it is Nicole and Alexis, myself and
Alexis or us as an entire family partaking in different events, they’ve all
helped create memories that will last a lifetime.
If I can offer one bit of advice to any parent wrestling
with the decision of whether or not to allow your child to compete in pageant
systems, it would be this – keep an open mind. It also doesn’t hurt to keep an
open checkbook, either, (ha ha) but the value gained from investing in your
child’s interests is well worth it.