Yesterday Colleen reported Stephanie's credit toward industrial education.

She was quite impressed with the fact that Steph did the work so mom did not have to. I am impressed for a different reason.

A few weeks ago, I predicted that we would see a new confidence in Stephanie as her dive shop mentors teach and encourage her to do physical and mechanical things such as:

-Fill and repair scuba air tanks

-Change or jump a battery in a truck or van.

-change or tighten a belt on an engine or electric motor

-clean an engine part with special equipment and cleaning solution.

This is not a complete list by any means, but it is indicative of the kind of things she is learning. More important than the specific tasks she is learning is the confidence she now enjoys.

Just a couple of weeks ago, if I asked her to open the hood of my truck and check the battery connections to be sure they are tight enough, she would have given me an incredulous look like,"you actually expect me to figure out how to open a dirty greasy truck hood?!"

A few days ago, I asked her to help me jump-start one of the driving school cars. First, she did not give me a look--not any kind of blonde-chick look. Then, without being asked to, she went to the neighboring shop and borrowed jumper cables. Then she opened the hood of my truck and the car. I hooked up the cables to the truck and she helped with the other end. She learned how to jump a car, but more importantly, she attacked the task with absolute confidence and no hesitation.

This is happening in all kinds of ways. She is no longer intimidated by things that require tools and manipulation.

And I predicted this result. I keep carrying on about "self-imposed limitations" and I maintain that these unnecessary limitations are counterproductive and totally useless. I do believe Stephanie is beginning to realize I am right and it is better to be confident and competent than hesitant and fearful.

This new confidence in my daughter is far more impressive and important than the mere task of hooking up the stove; it is indicative of a much larger and more exciting trend. My beautiful delicate strawberry-blonde baby is becoming an industrial powerhouse!