It’s amazing watching your kids grow and learn and make choices. Even when they are not always the best ones, because as we all know even though it is tougher to watch those, it is those ones we know they are learning more from.
I am watching Daniel grow and learn so much from this great opportunity he has been given as the Children’s Colorado Denver Bronco’s Ambassador. He got to have the wonderful opportunity to meet and have Jeff Legwold from ESPN come to the studio and spend some time with him and interview him last week and a video or article is expected to be on ESPN tomorrow (Tuesday). During this visit Jeff watched Daniel conduct his show and it just so happened that this show was not like any other. This particular show took on a very different tone all together. I am not really sure why it did, but it did and that is just how live broadcasting goes right? Daniel and Mark Haas (his sportscaster, cohost buddy) are normally very competitive anyway, but today was just dang heated. Heated and downright dirty at times. They were opposing and almost arguing and not fun and funny at all. I didn't enjoy it one bit actually. Although I was very impressed that my boy held his own and although somewhat defensive at times was more composed and prepared to debate on a topic he knows than I certainly could ever have been. Daniel held his strong opinion and maybe it was naïve (considering it was against an adult professional sportscaster) but it was his and he was sticking to it. He is very knowledgable about statistics and predictions and all that stuff but then there is professionalism and that he is still learning. He is always, ALWAYS appropriate, and would never overstep his boundaries or be unprofessional but he is still not sure of how to balance his position at the hospital. He knows he is representing the hospital and the Broncos now but knows what he believes. Now what do you do when those two things do not always match your vision or expectations. This is a lesson in integrity. I say he needs to follow his gut and find that balance and he will find his way professionally. He will find his voice and continue to grow and I am enjoying watching him learn. It is painful to watch him stumble but I know that these are the hard lessons that will make him better. He was not happy with some of the choices he made but this is something he will have to live and learn from. Again, I have to remind myself that this is his career path he is forging and one I know absolutely nothing about. I can only offer my opinion and give my encouragement and maybe some motherly advice along the way, like use a little more inflection or wear the blue shirt??? I know he thinks these are huge accomplishments, and as I make sure I write them all down and keep a journal so that when he is ready to create a resume for later, he can have them all at his fingertips. At the end of the day I will be there to edit his resume and give him a hug at the end of his interview and say good job but I know that at the top of the list of the biggest accomplishments isn’t an ESPN interview at 15 years old (sorry Jeff Legwold), in my eyes the biggest accomplishment is that he survived Cancer and came out of it with a career.
I am watching Daniel grow and learn so much from this great opportunity he has been given as the Children’s Colorado Denver Bronco’s Ambassador. He got to have the wonderful opportunity to meet and have Jeff Legwold from ESPN come to the studio and spend some time with him and interview him last week and a video or article is expected to be on ESPN tomorrow (Tuesday). During this visit Jeff watched Daniel conduct his show and it just so happened that this show was not like any other. This particular show took on a very different tone all together. I am not really sure why it did, but it did and that is just how live broadcasting goes right? Daniel and Mark Haas (his sportscaster, cohost buddy) are normally very competitive anyway, but today was just dang heated. Heated and downright dirty at times. They were opposing and almost arguing and not fun and funny at all. I didn't enjoy it one bit actually. Although I was very impressed that my boy held his own and although somewhat defensive at times was more composed and prepared to debate on a topic he knows than I certainly could ever have been. Daniel held his strong opinion and maybe it was naïve (considering it was against an adult professional sportscaster) but it was his and he was sticking to it. He is very knowledgable about statistics and predictions and all that stuff but then there is professionalism and that he is still learning. He is always, ALWAYS appropriate, and would never overstep his boundaries or be unprofessional but he is still not sure of how to balance his position at the hospital. He knows he is representing the hospital and the Broncos now but knows what he believes. Now what do you do when those two things do not always match your vision or expectations. This is a lesson in integrity. I say he needs to follow his gut and find that balance and he will find his way professionally. He will find his voice and continue to grow and I am enjoying watching him learn. It is painful to watch him stumble but I know that these are the hard lessons that will make him better. He was not happy with some of the choices he made but this is something he will have to live and learn from. Again, I have to remind myself that this is his career path he is forging and one I know absolutely nothing about. I can only offer my opinion and give my encouragement and maybe some motherly advice along the way, like use a little more inflection or wear the blue shirt??? I know he thinks these are huge accomplishments, and as I make sure I write them all down and keep a journal so that when he is ready to create a resume for later, he can have them all at his fingertips. At the end of the day I will be there to edit his resume and give him a hug at the end of his interview and say good job but I know that at the top of the list of the biggest accomplishments isn’t an ESPN interview at 15 years old (sorry Jeff Legwold), in my eyes the biggest accomplishment is that he survived Cancer and came out of it with a career.