So, the kid gets a letter on Friday informing him he has been selected for and invited to Summer Leadership Camp the two weeks before school starts. This is a really cool thing for kids that attend Military School. It means the Cadet Leadership, the academic staff and the administration think he has something to offer and it develops kids in to leadership roles in the Corps of Cadets.

The whole invitation letter thing is a funny story that I will blog on later.

Anyway, Rags gets increasingly frustrated about Skids apparent lack of action in making a decision and notifying his Mom and I as well as BioDad and the SpermClan of his decision.

The opportunity ..... Attend Leadership Camp.

The Dilemma ..... how to tell BioDad and SpermGrandMa and how to structure the rest of the summer so that he can get back to school two weeks early for camp.

The Analysis (or the part Rags thinks about until the Skid provides me with clarity).... Option 1. End the 5wk summer visitation with the Sperms a week early so that the Skid can go to Leadership Camp. Option 2. Bail on the Rags family vacation starting in two weeks and spend the standard 5wks visitation with the Sperms instead of 4.

The Discussion ...... Rags walks in the door from work this evening and tells the kid to get some paper and a pen and sit down. We are going to figure this Leadership Camp thing out.

Skid: "Okay Dad"

Rags: "Do you want to go to camp?"

Skid: "Yes"

Rags: "Okay write that down at the top of the page"

Skid: "Okay Dad, I wrote it down"

Rags: "What exactly did you write down"

Skid: "The work "Yes""

Rags" "Okay smart ass. Write down "I want to go to leadership camp""

Skid: "Dad, I already wrote that down. I was kidding about the "Yes" thing"

Rags: "Ha, ha, ha, mumble, mumble mumble. Okay, write down the different options you have to make that happen"

Skid: "I don't know!!!!!!!!! I have not really thought about it"

Rags: "That is why we are going through this exercise. So that you can consider all of the options, make your decision and figure out how YOU are going to communicate your decision to your Mom and I, BioDad and SpermGrandMa (I used their names not their earned titles)"

Skid: "Daaaaaaaaad! I know. (with a twinkle in his eye totally missed by Rags).

Rags: Okay, lets finish this .............

And the Skid leads Rags down a path of carefully choreographed steps which Rags bites on hook, line and sinker.

After 15mins of analysis led carefully by Rags which culminated in the two options listed in "The Analysis ...." intro to this post.

Rags: "So which option are you going to choose"

Skid: "Neither".

Rags "NEITHER?????? What do you mean neither. Didn't we just go through an analysis of your options and haven't you made a decision?????"

Skid: "Here is what I am going to do Dad. I am not going to miss the family vacation in two weeks. I want to go with you and Mom. I am going to go visit BioDad and the Sperms (he is unaware of those titles so he used their names) but I am going to head back a week early from visiting with THEM (my reference not his). Instead of flying to your parents for another week with you, Mom and my cousins, aunt and uncle at the end of the summer I am going straight to school for leadership camp. That way I miss a week with You, Mom and your family and a week with them. And there is a bonus. You, Mom, (My Parents), (My Brother), (S-I-L), and (his cousins) can bring the RV out to school for a long week end at the end of Leadership Camp. I called the school and we get a three day weekend before the New Cadets show up"

That little turd caught me hook, line and sinker and did a flawless analysis using additional information that I did not even think of. :jawdrop:

Except for the problems of squeezing 10 people in to an RV that can comfortably sleep 8 his analysis was flawless.

I am so proud. (lump in throat and with tear in my eye).

Best regards ......... one proud and well schooled Dad.