I got no rythm, but I can dance: Part 1

In case you missed it, Valentine's Day is in February. At our local middle school, the Valentine Day Dance was last Friday. I am the father of a middle school daughter. Many see the dilemma immediately; for those without daughters, think middle school boys. Picture getting clearer? I have always desired my three daughters to be beautiful; when they were 25. Unfortunately, they are early bloomers. The school dance debate began earlier this year with my 8th grade daughter. She hoping to have fun with her friends: Me picturing bump and grind with boys. As Lou Holtz once said, "Somewhere in between lies reality."

The dance debate turned into an opportunity to negotiate an acceptable compromise. My daughter researched what happened and how it was chaperoned. I trusted her judgement in a relatively safe environment. But then the Valentine Day Dance loomed on the horizon. I am no prude, but do not see the need to promote dating in 8th grade. Wanting to protect my daughter from forming unhealthy patterns in her relationships with boys, I said no to the dance. Desiring to help my daughter navigate the tricky waters of middle school relationships, I found an ally. Her best friends father and I decided to take our daughters out on a date the night of the dance.

Here it comes... the monkey wrench. My daughter's best friend was elected the Queen of the dance. The dads debated and decided it would work to let the girls go to the dance until the ceremony was over and then go out for dessert. Of course, we would be at the dance the whole time. You will have to read the next post to find out what happened at the dance. As a leader you must know what remains the core principles. Everything else can be negotiated. If you live by a set of rules, eventually you will break. If you live by principles, you will be able to handle the challenging times. What are your core principles?