Daddy / daughter date

Olivia is our shy child. She stays close to us. She doesn't talk to strangers. Even people she knows at times. She bursts into panicked tears if she can't see me at all times at the park. I don't know what we are going to do when she starts kindergarten this fall. Lately we can't get her to stay in her primary class. Week after week they have brought her to us in tears (We think that it's because of several changes in her primary teachers over the course of a month). Finally, John told her that if she would stay in her class for 4 consecutive weeks, he would take her on a Daddy / daughter date. She was thrilled! We saw her take a deep breath and compose a look of determination on her face before going to her class, but she stayed! And she earned her date. For the weeks leading up to it she talked about what kind of date she wanted, "all fancy, like Fancy Nancy!" she would tell us. At dinner time she would talk about where she wanted to go, "someplace super fancy, with Christmas lights!" and she wanted to eat salmon, not a kids meal, and she was going to wear a dress and John was going to wear a suit and a tie. So that's what John did. He took her to the Bluebird all dressed up with a tiara and everything and ordered a grown up salmon meal and laughed and talked, then they sat at the old fashioned soda counter for dessert. Some little old ladies came up to them and told them that they had made their whole night just seeing the two of them on this special date. Olivia glowed, and I believe John beamed. And I loved him all the more for granting her simple wish right down to her salmon and his suit.