They're Them - April 14, 2022 | Kids Out and About Nashville <

They're Them

April 14, 2022

Debra Ross

"Do you want to see it?" my dentist asked me hopefully. "No," I answered. "I'm sorry, I really don't."

I hated to disappoint Dr. Heinle—he had just finished what I am sure was a gorgeous job of matching colors and sculpting and polishing one of my molars. Although I always appreciate his care and expertise, I just can't bring myself to admire his artistry to the degree he deserves. I find teeth... er... uninspiring. I'm grateful that others have made it their life's work to look in people's mouths and figure out how to fix them. I shudder to think of where I'd be without modern dentistry.

My accountant emailed me at 11pm on Tuesday to remind me which of my records he's missing so that he can finish before Monday. This happens almost every year, and the reason I'm always late is stupidly simple: I hate it all so much that I find even the process of gathering what Dan needs to file my taxes to be soul-sucking. I used to ask my kids to sit next to me one weekend each March; they'd feed me spring-themed M&Ms to keep me going as I'd feed papers to the stack. (Everyone needs support now and again, even grownups!) I'm grateful that others have made it their life's work to help keep the rest of us organized and law-abiding. I shudder to think of where I'd be without Dan.

There are countless skills that add endless value to our world but which aren't my cup of tea: Opera. Cryptography. Politics. Event management. Poetry. Landscaping. Epidemiology. But I'm glad others see the world through different eyes than mine, because somebody needs to stop the hackers and keep us organized and healthy and entertained. If everyone were like me, that couldn't happen.

One of the best pieces of advice I got about raising kids was also the simplest: Remember that your kids are not you. In other words, just because I love baseball and data analysis and scream-singing at crowded Foo Fighters concerts doesn't mean Madison and Ella will. So over the years, I've been mindful to expose them to all of the things I don't like but that others do, because you never know what will light a fire in a child's soul unless you give it a chance. At this point, I'm confident that neither will become a dentist, but they both like the systems and order of money management, so one could end up as an accountant.

I credit the M&Ms.

Deb