My daughter lost in the primary in her run for Senior Student Body Class President

[Emit]

:(

She's pretty shaken up.

She's embarrassed to go to school tomorrow and face all her friends as a loser.

I hugged her and told her she ran a great campaign and to not be ashamed at all of her effort...to hold her head high. And I congratulated her on her courage.

One of her competitors didn't even campaign. He was the incumbent from this year.

I told her that with the experience she gained in this loss will serve her well in her next run -- that they'll be chances in college and beyond -- and that many candidates lose before they win.

She's thinking of going into politics in her future.

Amazing, the pressure of politics, even at the High School level. It takes a lot of courage and commitment to put yourself out there.

[Captain Angry]

1. Not that it's much solace...

But the best person didn't win in 2004 or 2000.

It sounds like the best person didn't win in your daughter's high school either.

Nobody wins every time. If you don't lose once in a while, you don't learn what your weaknesses are or gain the fire that you need to never want to lose again.

Tell her to let it go for a little while, and in a few weeks perhaps to ask around to see if there were substantive reasons that people didn't vote for her.

If it's anything like the high school I went to, 30 people vote out of 500. So, she should definitely not take it personally.

:-)

[Emit]

8. I jokingly told her to demand a recount

Seriously though, thanks. She and I were just talking about how it seemed more like a personality contest than anything else. She had a good platform submitted -- but I doubt the students really understood any of that aspect at this level. Do voters of any age ever, really?

[Captain Angry]

9. As if high school kids don't have enough on their mind.

They're already young. And dealing with constant input from TV, friends, phones, the internet, etc. Add hormones, and it's incredible that anybody graduates, much less has the capacity to keep things together enough to try and run for an office in their school.

[lligrd]

2. Tell Her We Are Proud Of Her

Most people don't have the courage or drive to run for office. And we definitely need more like her to run.

[Emit]

10. Thanks, lligrd

She's a good kid. Smart as a whip like my SO ( :) ) and determined to make a difference. I'll pass on the sentiments of my DUer buds. She'll get a kick out of that -- she loves DU!

[Recursion]

3. There are more important things in life than winning

Yeah, I know, that sounds hokey, and if there's a gentle way to say that, I've never heard it. But it's true, and she should be proud of running.

[Emit]

11. It's a good lesson to get across

And I will add that to my list because I know this will not be the end of discussion about her loss.

I asked her, now that her plate is lightened up a bit, aside from her job, extra-curricular activities, and honors classes, what she might want to do. She wants to contact the garbage company to advocate reinstating a recent pilot program they tried for recycling in our neighborhood, but failed to implement. Good on you! I said. I think that this might be a kick in the butt that motivates her more as much as it hurts.

[Skittles]

4. tell her Lincoln's first campaign was unsuccessful

yes indeed

[Emit]

5. !

I'm heading up right now to tell her that!

She was just down here again chatting with me -- she has to take down all her signage tomorrow, she's worried she will cry. I told her to get the tears out tonight and hold her head high tomorrow.

[Skittles]

6. check it out in Wikipedia under "Early Career"

yes INDEED - and tell her to hold her head high or I will kick her butt :D

[sandnsea]

7. She won the minute she got in the game

As long as she keeps doing that, then she'll find her path, whatever it might be. She won an opportunity to do something different, that's all. :hug:

[Emit]

12. Thoughtful words, sandnsea

On the mark.

And if you don't mind, I'd like to share them with her in the form of a card, with your name credited. Would that be okay with you? She's getting a bouquet of flowers tomorrow from us and her grandparents, and I'd like to include an array of thoughts for the card.

[sandnsea]

13. Oh of course

Whatever helps her to feel better, with or without my name, makes no difference to me. She is lucky to have such a supportive and thoughtful family.

[Emit]

14. .

:thumbsup: