irrational exuberance

One benefit to having children is that you can impress upon them your irrational likes and dislikes. I love the Yankees, therefore, you love the Yankees. I hate eggplant, therefore you hate eggplant. It's like having your own little Yes-Man.

I suppose, this is bad if you're say, a racist, but we're talking nitpicky stuff here. In this particular case: bike races, walkathons, running races, any "we take over public roads to promote our non-car-using events, wreaking havoc with traffic, and expect you to just smile and take it." (Don't even get me started on the Marathon.)

Now, of course, I don't think this is an irrational dislike on my part -- it makes perfect sense to me, and I can explain the logic in great detail. (I freely confess to my irrational peeves - Doug Flutie is over-rated, but that's no reason for my passionate dislike for the man. And the Goodyear blimp thing I can't explain at all, it's just there.) However, I think I had a point here. Oh yes, bike races.

So the beauty is, when they're little they just believe whatever you tell them. So the Little Ballerina now completely agrees with me when they yet again block off parking and re-route traffic in front of her gymnastics class for a bike race that's not even for charity or anything so why exactly am I supposed to care? And goes home and tells her dad about how all the mean cyclists were very rude, and they shouldn't do that. That's right, honey! You tell 'em!