From the first moment Tanner saw a video clip of a Star Wars movie he was hooked. For the past 4 years I swear it has been Jedi this and Lightsaber that. I think he has memorized every single line in Episode 4 (the original Star Wars). I joke with him all the time now about how he is just a young Padawan, or maybe even just a Jedi Youngling. He always insists he is well beyond these lowly ranks and proclaims Jedi Master to be within his grasp.
Being the caring father that I am, I’ve done my part to help him with his Jedi training. We’ve established all of the appropriate “Jedi food” (eat all your veggies), and we’ve tried to make chores and such out to be “Jedi training missions”. I’ve also exploited this a little for my own benefit by establishing a core “Jedi Mission” which entails running out to the fridge in the garage and grabbing Dad a fresh diet coke. He’s run many of these Jedi missions to date, so maybe I will have to grant him at least Jedi Knight rank.
Now whenever Tanner wants something, he first tries to soften me up by taking initiative and offering to run me a Jedi mission. He figures his chances of a “Yes” go up if I have my fix in hand before he asks. Is this some Jedi mind game?? Maybe he is climbing the ranks!
Fast forward to a week or so ago. I’m upstairs sitting at my desk and Cailyn walks up behind me, wraps her arms around me and gives me a kiss on the cheek. She’s always been a Daddy’s girl and offers such affection frequently without an ulterior motive. Normally it’s a quick hug and kiss and then she is gone. This time was a little different though because she then asks me “Can I get you a Princess Mission?”.
“A what?”, I think to myself. “Don’t you mean a Jedi Mission, silly?”, I ask her.
“No Dad. Jedi are stupid, but I’ll run you a Princess Mission!”, she replies with a big smile.
I don’t even recall what it was she was buttering me up for, but I probably caved.