Is it bad to want to kick another kid in the face?

Since last Thanksgiving, Laurel wished she had run...but doubted herself.  The Turkey Trot dash eluded her but she wanted it.  She also wanted the little shit (my word, not hers) to not make fun of the lagers.  Is it bad to want to kick another kid in the face?

Over the past year, Laurel saw last year's winner, Maggie, sporadically wear her winner's T. This was the prize..a simple T-shirt that said "I won the Turkey Trot."  So simple, but so few kids own this t-shirt.   In March, she mentioned the race...then June..and September.  She really wanted this race but was so afraid of failure (and that little shit..again, my word.)

So intrigued, she signed up this year as a 1st grader.  Her race would be 1st grade girls.  I did know that she was nervous about the race.  Laurel tends to worry about too many things in the future...MCAS testing in the 5th grade, homework and finding a job after college.  Unfortunately she gets that from me.  But she also acquired preparation, which I didn't know until this race happened.  According to Laurel, she told me that she wanted to do well so she frequently practiced the distance during her after school program.

But I didn't know this until after the race.  On the morning of the race, when I sent her to school with her cupcakes for the Divine Dessert Raffle, I wished her luck.  I hoped for the best and honestly, prayed against the worse.  Please, please, please..not a stray shoelace that causes her to trip and break something on her face.  And if she did come in last, I hoped she kicked the crap against anyone that laughed at her effort.

I got home and saw her wearing the T-shirt that she had wanted all year.  She won her race!  I wish I had been there as the obnoxious parent loudly cheering and doing odd 80's dance moves.  But I couldn't dwell on my absence..we jumped up and down like (I won the lottery and) Laurel was meeting Kei$ha.  My pride comes from the fact that this was an activity that she pushed to do herself.  This wasn't soccer or math where Ching needs to bribe her with a dollar for effort.  This was her..all, my Laurel.

I have not broken it to her that it doesn't always work out like this..but I let her bask in her win.  She wore her T today to school.  I am washing it so she can wear it to Nana's on Thanksgiving.  Honestly I would let her wear the shirt until it was a second skin.  But the victory dance on Facebook?  Not this time Laurel...but definitely the next.  (Laurel Wang, Winner-Turkey Trot, Girl-First Grade)