Life is a Circus

Tonight, we are taking Alex to his first circus. Although it is a small, unknown troupe that is a far cry from Ringling Brothers, it can be a valuable teaching tool for our son. It will give him a clue of what to expect when he goes to school next year. First there is the Ringleader. He is the one who appears to be in charge of everything that happens at the circus. He tells the audience what is happening and seems to "direct" activity under the big top. Alex will encounter people like this when he goes to school. There is a kid in every class who takes center stage and acts like he is the boss of everyone. He also has a knack for talking a lot. Alex may fill this role himself when he goes to Kindergarten. Next there are the performers themselves. They live for attention and perform dangerous or even stupid stunts just to get noticed. That sounds like Alex, too. He'll probably jump off the merry-go-round or the top of the slide to impress his buddies. Hopefully he won't try sword-swallowing, fire-breathing, or lion-taming. I could see him trying a trapeze act on the swingset, though. Then we have the clowns. What better word is there to describe my son (or his father)? There is always that one kid in class who will do anything to get a laugh. He will "read" the blank page at the front of a text book to crack up the nerdy guy sitting next to him. He will put a Playboy Centerfold in the projector screen so that when the teacher unrolls it for some boring filmstrip, the class will get a special surprise. He will make fart noises in the back of the room after everyone falls silent during an important test. Am I talking about Alex or myself? At any rate, going to the circus (or school) prepares a kid for what to expect in life. I hope he enjoys it as much as I did when I was a kid. I hope they have cotton candy!