Soooo....

[katiesue]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Are they doing 1776? Or just some random thing thrown together by a teacher that majored in English in college and fancies herself a playwright?

Random thing thrown together by a teacher. The one last year about the gold rush was bad enough. And they're endless because of course you can't be mean and every kid gets a part. Bleh.

[katiesue]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

Don't go. Not having your parent(s) there at every important event is a valuable life lesson.

My mom never showed up to much and she was a teacher at the school My dad would if he wasn't working but if he was working he couldn't take a day off just to see some lame school event.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Capt Jack

so...it can truly make a difference. even if only 'eventually'

The key lesson from this is to only go once. But it is important that it be after a long string of not going.


For the record, in case I'm thought serious on that one, I wasn't. My grandparents attended pretty much every soccer game I ever played. My mom drove to Ellensburg (for god's sake) to watch me compete in the state trigonometry competition (where she made the mistake of letting my sister drive to a nearby store; a sister who then let a 14 year old in the car drive; a 14 year old who then drove the car into a house). I'm pretty sure my mom wouldn't recognize a trigonometry if she saw one walking across the street.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Capt Jack

yeah, but in contrast, having one show up unexpectedly can really change your thinking as a child.

I was in elementary school chorus (well before my voice changed and went down 17 octaves) My dad was never able to attend. Id always ask, he'd apologize and let me know he wanted to but couldnt.

one day, one obscure performance in the middle of the day, out of the blue, I look up....wayyyyyy in the back, standing in his std arms folded 'master of all I survey' pose, was my dad.

I never forgot. he never mentioned it.
after he died, I found a picture he took of me that day without my knowledge.

sneaky bastage.

so...it can truly make a difference. even if only 'eventually'

Thanks for making me cry at work .

[BarTopDancer]

And from the other side - my parents rarely attending anything I was in. School plays and recitals were always a burden to get me to, let alone stay to attend. My mom was always *too busy* (sleeping orwatching TV or something) to come see me play in basketball games when I was a kid or swim in any meets in high school. And I remember clear as day how I felt when all the other kids parents ran back stage with flowers and hugs and stayed for the 'after party' and I got herded into the car and taken home.

[JWBear]

Originally Posted by Snowflake

I'm so bored right now, I could scream.
Not bored with LoT, mind, my job, which today holds no interest or challenge.

Right now, I'd give anything for a job without challenges. Wanna trade?

[MouseWife]

Yes, Capt Jack, your story was really beautiful.

And, BTD, sounds like my mom. School was school.

Because of your similar story{ies}, I've always tried to be there. Even as my son is in 7th grade, I still go and make myself known.

Oh, and Alex, you are lucky to have had grandparents like that. :0) My kids don't.

I think I mentioned my mother recently thought I only had two kids....Um...yeah...I've told my kids that they don't have to do whatever the teachers say if it seems wrong. To reinforce the fact that I have their 'back', I have to be there.

[Prudence]

Got one of my spring grades finally. It was the grade I expected, but not the grade I wanted. I expect even worse from the other class, which will pretty much be the nail in the coffin of my hopes of getting a decent post-graduation job.

[katiesue]

Originally Posted by MouseWife

I think I mentioned my mother recently thought I only had two kids....Um...yeah...I've told my kids that they don't have to do whatever the teachers say if it seems wrong. To reinforce the fact that I have their 'back', I have to be there.

My ex-mother-in-law thought that her son shouldn't have more then two kids (they have four) so she just ignores the last two. Like they don't exist

I try to go to all of Maddy's things because my parents didn't. Well Dad would if he could. I don't know how many softball games he went to straight from work still covered in dirt so you could only see white around where his glasses were.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by MouseWife

Oh, and Alex, you are lucky to have had grandparents like that.

It probably helped that I was the oldest kid of my generation in the family (on either my mother or father's side. I doubt they were quite so rigorous about attending the eighth kid's whatever event.

I am not good family. Lani reminded me the other day that my sister has two kids, not one.

If I were a parent I'd probably be all like "if you being in that dance class means I have to go to a dance recital of 9-year-olds then you're grounded. Now get back to cooking that meth."