1 - Parental Leadership

Who would say that one of the amazing moments will happen while eating in Burger King waiting for a train home. As usually I just bought a menu a sit down hoping the time will fly and I will be finally on my road back home after month of travelling. But my attention was caught by young afroamerican father with his very cute daughter. This small girl could have been around 3-4 years old.

As any other guest in Burger King they ordered their meal and they sat down to the table next to me. Suddenly the father realized they forgot to buy a ketchup. He took 50 cent coin and gave it to his girl and told her to go to buy it. Girl stood up and walked towards the counter. In the middle of the road (which was around 3 meters) girl stopped and looked back at her father. "One ketchup?". Father smiled. Apperentaly he knew that she is scared to go and apperentaly he was not sending her there because he is lazy. He nodded and said: "Yes, just go and say one ketchup. It will be okey." Small girl nodded and turned back towards the counter ready to make few more steps towards this amazing journey of hers. She did one step and turned to her father again. "Ketchup, right?" It was so visible how she is trying to get out of it. But her father was not giving up. "Yes, just one ketchup. Dont worry it will be fine." She looked to the counter then back to her father, back to counter and then finally to her father saying "I dont think I can do it". The father started to stand up, wanting to help his daugher when out of nowhere there was a waitress coming to the girl.

Apparentaly she was watching all the scene from behind. She came to the girl, took her hand and asked "So you want one ketchup? Come with me." The second young father saw this he took his seat again just watching his daughter. Small girl went with the waitress and finally reached the counter. There the waitress brought the ketchup. Small girl was still so scared she didnt know what to do. Waitress told her "I will need this" pointing at the 50 cents in the small hand. Waitress took it, put the ketchup on the counter and said: "Thank you very much, here is your ketchup!"

Small girl was so shocked she did it she was just turning back to her father with open mouth and amazed face which even without any words said I did it. She was so shocked that she even forgot to take ketchup with her so waitress had to come to her and gave it to her. Small girl was coming back to the table and her father as she just had won the championship. Whole scene was just amazing. But the sentence which was the best was coming when she sat down to her father. He said: "Very good job. Just next time dont forget to say Thank you."

I was amazed. That moment I just wished I could be such a good parent in the future and I realized that leadership is not only something what we see in TV or in newspapers but it is something what we can see everyday.