TANNER teaches ME!


I love this kid. Sometimes I marvel that 1/2 of him came from MY gene pool. Brent and I secretly refer to him as our little Nephi. He is such a good boy. No he is a GREAT PERSON. One of the BEST people I know.

Today he suffered a disappointment. It broke his mother's heart. I went in my room where noone could see and shed a tear. I love him so much and ,as his mom, it is hard for me to see him experience disappointment.

Not making the team doesn't really seem like a big deal but when you are in the 7th grade it can feel like it. Not this 7th grader, though. He walked through the door with a big smile on his face, announced the bad news, and then went outside to shoot some more hoops. He is not the least bit upset. Even when he told me that one of his "friends" who had made the team kind of rubbed it in (SO not cool) he said it didn't bother him. I really don't think it did. I think he was happy for the guy.

I love that about him.

There are kids that seem like they get everything they want...success and achievement come naturally to them in everything they do.

Things that come naturally to Tanner are:
friends,
integrity,
kindness,
and a great attitude.
I am sad to see him not get what he wants, but I recognize that it it is how we deal with disappointments, not the successes, in life that build the most character. Times like these will make him the kind of honorable man his dad is. Tonight, for that, I am grateful.

Comments

Amanda said…
oh man! This almost me ME cry:( I am guessing this is the b-ball team? I know how much he LOVES basketball that makes me so sad:( Man...why can't they let all the kids play:( I love how you look at it in such a positive light...but I can understand how it breaks your heart. It's great that he is such an amazing young man and took it so well!
I'm sorry, Shahna. Today I had two kids with great news, and one with disappointment. It was a very emotional day for me on that side, too. I never realized how hard our kid's heartbreaks would be! We have spent a lot of time in the last few days talking to our kids about trying, and learning and trying again...and finding where our particular talents lie and how to develop them. Tanner should hold his head high, he is a very talented kid and a great friend to T. You and Brent are great parents...
Snarky Belle said…
Sorry Shahna. Ughhhhh, it is so heartwrenching to see our kids disappointed (even when they hide it so well).
This is as much a reflection of your parenting (and Brent's of course) as it is a reflection of Tanner.
Thank you for your wonderful examples.
Unknown said…
Shahna,
Don't ever sell yourself short. You are the main reason Tanner is the young man he is becoming. You are also the reason I am anything at all. I love you with all my heart, and am amazed everyday at the tender mercy you are to me! I am so grateful to you, for all you do as a mom and wife, and also for the slack you have picked up on my behalf. Like Jack Nicholson said in As Good As It Gets "You make me want to be a better person" The things you do, make me want to do better, and I can do a lot better..
-BJ
This post made me cry. He does sound like a wonderful young man!
Sarah said…
first of all-- your husband commented on your post-- awesome!!! second-- tanner has the best gosh darn parents in the whole world-- no wonder that kid walks in a room and all take notice. I've only been around him a little, but this I know-- when I have a son, I hope he just like that kid. He is a Nephi-- and we need a lot more young men like that. You are definitely right, its not how we handle success in this life, its who we become during our failures and disappointments. Once again you have touched my heart :D
Bethanne said…
Oh my word...Brent's comment alone was amazing. This post was fantastic and Tanner...well, what can I even say? Such great characters are hard to find even among most adults, nevertheless, a youth. Isn't it amazing that you are more affected by it than him? How great is he? Moms of the world rejoice that their daughters might end up with Tanner some day!
shahna said…
Thanks Bethanne! That was sweet! You always leave such nice comments.
Jess said…
Wow! I hope our kids turn out like Tanner. What a wonderful kid, and yes, he'll make some woman very lucky in some distant day...you guys really do have great kids.
emblair said…
What an awesome kid. And an awesome mom to recognize his greatness.

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