Save the drama for your mama.

My kids are not introverts. They are all loud, boisterous and outgoing. They're very talkative and often exaggerate to make a point. They have a flair for dramatic behavior, partly to entertain others, but mostly to entertain themselves.

Crowbar likes to jazz up boring old grocery store trips by pretending he's Buzz Lightyear. Riding in the cart he'll press imaginary buttons on his forearms, sprout wings and make that loud swooshing sound as he opens and closes his spaceman's helmet.

"To infinity, and BEYOND!" he'll shout.

Sadly, my robot boy was not programmed with a volume control.

Mad Dog also has a knack for theatrics. Her signature role is pretending she's sick to avoid going to school. At least once a week, she'll start in, moaning and clutching her stomach. I've even seen her limp, for good measure. Unfortunately, she's not a great actress and has never convinced me to let her stay home.

On the other hand, The Deuce's acting is actually pretty good. She's obsessed with Hannah Montana, High School Musical and Camp Rock and has studied all the songs and dances. She can often be heard singing, "Best of Both Worlds," using a thick southern accent to boot. Her acting method is more subtle than her sister's and she's more convincing. I usually have to study her closely to know if she's trying to pull one over on me.


So, where do they get it from? Well, I'll admit that I can be dramatic. But I like to think that acting is in their blood, from their Dad's side. Even though he is a quiet, soft-spoken guy his family is full of some serious actors.

One of their aunts is in Chicago right now, pursuing a career in acting. She's been at it for about five years. I don't think anything's panned out quite yet. Right now, her foray into acting looks more like a promising career in food service, but I'm sure something will come along soon.

The real family talent is the kids' Grandma Nancy. Nanners, as she's known in the biz, just happens to be the choreographer of her local community show choir. The choir is made up of about 20 ladies between the ages of 60-80. In sequined costumes, they sing and dance, performing show tunes and patriotic numbers that simultaneously dazzle and amaze.

The show choir can be seen performing at VFW halls and high school auditoriums across northern Ohio. (Yes, they tour!) And Nanners leads the troupe through complicated grapevine maneuvers and daring twirls, taking great care not to aggravate anyone's arthritis or newly replaced hip.

The kids haven't had the pleasure of seeing Nanners perform yet. But when they do, look out. The girls especially, will be totally starstruck. I'm certain they will see Grandma in action and beg me to sign them up for voice and dance lessons immediately.

While each of the kids are talented in their own right, I don't exactly want to encourage their dramatic behavior - at least not now. I'd like them to stay a little more grounded, focusing on school work and other useful life skills. They can save the drama for play time.

Nope, the world's just not ready for these little actors. Even though I could make a fortune charging admission, for now, it's just Mark and me who get to enjoy the show.