No one here is a ninja

This is the conversation I had with the 1st Grader’s teacher last week when I stopped by the school for a meeting.


Teacher: I need to ask you a question.

Me: OK. Sure.

Teacher {in total seriousness}: Is your husband training to be a ninja warrior?

Me: Um, no.

Teacher: Well, I mean the show. Is he training to compete on American Ninja Warrior?

Me: Definitely no.

Teacher: Well, {the 1st Grader} told me her daddy was going to try to be on the show, and I was SO excited to hear that. I’m really competitive and would love to cheer him on!

Me: No, no, no. I hate to be a disappointment. We do watch the show, and he definitely likes the show. And, he does go to the gym to work out some. But, I assure you he is not in training to actually compete in anything related to ninjas or warriors… that I know of.

Teacher: Well, I was sure hoping!

If you’re not familiar with American Ninja Warrior, it’s a show {based on a show in Japan} where super-athletes compete to get through extreme obstacle courses that showcase their incredible strength, dexterity, balance, endurance, etc. Many of the competitors are rock climbers, gymnasts, free runners, or extreme sports gurus who have devoted much of their lives to becoming the next American Ninja Warrior. These are not weekend warriors. These are people who spend hours upon hours training for this one goal.

Apparently the 1st Grader has confused the Spouse’s love for the show and recent return to the gym as a training program for actually being on the show. We’ve cleared this up, but she still holds that he could do it and it would be “so cool!”

I love that she thinks this way. I also love her teacher. First, that she completely believes my 6-year old when she says her dad is going to be a ninja warrior. Secondly, if it were true that he was pursuing this goal… she would be his biggest fan and rally the whole school to cheer him on. She likes games, and she loves to win. And, this is just one of many reasons why the 1st Grader thinks she hung the moon.

Ever since I told the Spouse about this conversation with the teacher, he has really amped up his workouts. It’s like he thinks he has something to prove. We may be living with the next American Ninja Warrior after all.