For our children's sake

I've enjoyed watching the development of my youngest daughter Jackie as an actor throughout her life. From her first play to her most recent (now in grade 12) she usually has always had the lead.  I've marveled at her confidence on stage, even during times when life has been overwhelming at home, or at school, or in her love life. One particular year, I missed her opening night, and the second night she came down with the flu. I felt awful that I'd not seen my daughter perform, and vowed to always make 'opening night' no matter what thereafter.

In the rush of our lives, there are times when our friends, family, and yes even our kids say to us, "Don't worry. You don't need to come. It's not very good anyway."  This is what my daughter said to me this year. She's been taking drama every year, so we have become accustomed to attending her plays.  She made this statement on the morning of the play. I asked her what part she had, and she said, she wrote , directed it and had to do the sound, lighting etc... the whole shebang.  I almost fell over, as her lackadaisical attitude toward her brother and I coming almost had us numbed out!

So of course we went and her play was amazing. Here she is (bottom-right) pensively looking on, and running the lighting and sound as her student actors did an excellent job delivering a play that made me laugh, and get a bit teary at one point, as I realized a lot of it was autobiographical.

And, she'd told us not to come...!

[Note to self] No matter how your kids (in particular, teens) tell you not to come to see whatever they are doing publicly at school (or elsewhere), just GO! They really do want you there... and you don't want to miss it!