THE latest column from our Yummy Mummy Veronica Madden...
"GET down from there ... you can be whatever you want to be ... as long as you believe it in your head."
I overhear this pearl of wisdom from a school ground assistant talking to a more than a little chubby boy attempting to be Superman off a playground bench. Her condescending, judgemental tone goes right through me.
Now, coming from someone who was also a more than a little chubby at primary school, I try to clamp my hand over my mouth to prevent an outburst. I remember hearing that same statement from one of my own teachers. Now, 20 twenty years on, I feel a little lied to.
My awful day having meetings about meetings at the office may have also spurred on what I was to do next. I remove my hand clamp, march over to the child and start to explain.
"No, little man, you actually can't do anything by just believing, that isn't quite the truth. I think this woman en ought to clarify a few things". The look of horror on the assistant's face is priceless. She attempts to speak but I get in first.
"Let me tell you a story, Clark, I too was told to believe I could do anything in my mind. I thought I was going to be a movie legend and be waited on hand and foot. In fact, I still do from time to time – but you know what?"
The school assistant tries to speak but my raised palm silences her. thoughts.
Little boy shakes his head. "What?" he asks holding his tea-towel Superman cape in his sweaty hand.
"Much as I believed in myself, I didn't put that into practice by actually doing anything about it. Now my lack of concentration during some fairly important exams and resulting bank balance say just believing alone doesn't quite cut it."
He starts to look worried and his little round cheeks start to redden.
Oh no, this is not looking good. I now have an audience of mothers and can hear whispers of the head being on her way over. I think fast on how to turn this around. I thought my days of getting told off by the headmistress were over.
Suddenly I am the chubby kid again. Making another chubby kid cry in the playground is not going to go down well.
"Listen, buddy," I soften my tone. "Don't spend your life just believing ... make sure you are doing too. If you want to be a superhero tuck that tea towel into your collar and do something super around here".
He smiles and shoots across the playground with a new-found speed and confidence. I nod at the other mothers with a smug look, pleased I have made a difference. Turning on my heel, I am just in time to see him knock over the headmistress heading my way. Oh dear.
Helping her up. I suggest that maybe we should take away that powerful tea towel.
She suggests we have a meeting.
"Super," I reply.
