No Dull Shoes in Our House

Last week, Lyra's school discussed professions and each of the kids spoke about what they would like to do. Lyra declared that she would like to be . . . a shoe polisher.

Never let it be said that we're pressuring our kid into being an over achiever!

Actually, the reason she said this is that when we were in Istanbul there were lots of men giving shoe polishings on the street. They had these cute little boxes with carvings and paintings on the outside. To give a shoe polish, the box opened up and was placed on the ground. There were two perches where the customer would rest their feet. The little drawers contained the brushes, polishes, and rags. Every time we went past one of these men, Lyra was fascinatedwith the box. What 4-year old wouldn't think that box was theBEST? Now I wish we had a photo of one of those men.

When I spoke to her later that night, I misunderstood that they were discussing the uniforms that each profession wears and I asked her, "What kind of costume will you wear as a shoe polisher?" (I used the word uniform first, but she didn't understand it). She said, "No, Mom, I don't want to *pretend* I'm a shoe polisher, I want to be one FOR REAL." Evidently, other kids chose the more traditional professions (doctor, dentist, teacher).

Russell told her that when she is old, then she can be a shoe polisher. I'm sure she has interpreted that to mean when she is 12.

Sometimes I wonder what that school thinks of us. Lyra goes to a school where most of the kids are extremely wealthy. Not only do they have live in maids, they probably have a maid/nanny for each child. Each child comes into the school spotless, neatly pressed, & in expensive clothes (Burberry, Gucci) and Lyra is wearing $2 shoes from the local hyper market with her hair pulled into higgledy-piggledy pony tails by her loving Baba. Luckily, there is a school uniform, so you can only tell a child's wealth by the shoes, socks, hairpieces that the kids wear. Then she tells them she wants to be a shoe polisher (FOR REAL).

LOL, ROFLOL.

She cracks me up!