melissa_hice

My 10 year old daughter has been taking a free puppet class at our local library. Today was the performance. They had met two Mondays from 1:30 to 3:00. I thought I had read that the performance was at 3:00 today. Instead, it was at 2:30 (only a 15 minute performance). I had been sitting in the library with my 7 year old son waiting for the performance. I saw a bunch of people exiting the room where the kids had been practicing and I had a bad bad feeling that I missed the performance (and I did).

I rushed into the room and my daughter was standing at the front crying because I had missed it. Someone I know made a comment to me in a rude voice as I was rushing in which didn't help the situation. Evidentally, she was the only child without someone there to watch it. I feel so incredibly horrible. I took her onto my lap and told her how sorry I was and how bad I felt. I was in tears myself. I have never missed any thing my children have been involved in.

The saving thing is that one of the librarians videotaped it and will put it on youtube and the fact that because the kids were behind curtains, she didn't know I wasn't there until afterwards, so it didn't affect her performing her lines. But, that is no comfort to my daughter (or me). She is a non reader right now and both of us worked hard getting her lines memorized (well, she memorized the lines, I coached her). She is so disappointed in me, and I'm so angry at myself for not thinking about checking to make sure of the time of the performance. She's been sad all evening and tonight as I lay down with her she told me that she is still so sad that I wasn't there to watch her performance. I honor that and know she needs that time to be sad and to be disappointed in me. I'm disappointed in myself. I let her down.

I realize that from now on, I must be more diligent about double checking things and not assuming, but that's hind sight. I just want to somehow make things right again. I know there are no do-overs for this particular event, but that doesn't stop me from wishing I could go back in time and have a do-over.

Melissa

Robyn L. Coburn

We love the do-over concept, both actually deciding to have one and talking
about if only we could have a do-over. Have you used those words with your
dd?

I think one more conversation - even offering a do-over - maybe she could
show you her part?

Or watch the dvd together as your do-over.

Robyn L. Coburn
www.Iggyjingles.etsy.com
www.iggyjingles.blogspot.com
www.allthingsdoll.blogspot.com

<<<that doesn't stop me from wishing I could go back in time and have a
do-over.>>>>

Pam Sorooshian

On 6/15/2009 8:56 PM, melissa_hice wrote:
> I realize that from now on, I must be more diligent about double checking things and not assuming, but that's hind sight. I just want to somehow make things right again. I know there are no do-overs for this particular event, but that doesn't stop me from wishing I could go back in time and have a do-over.
>

I run the box office and concessions sales for our college theater. My
youngest daughter was in a big dance show - in one piece. This was the
first and, so far, only time she'd ever been in a show. The show's
director and I were in the lobby - I was setting up the concessions for
intermission. The director TOLD me that Rosie's piece would be the first
one after the intermission. I was waiting in the lobby and the director
went into the theater. About 10 minutes later, I suddenly realized that
I was hearing the END of the music for Rosie's dance number. I rushed in
just in time to see the bows. I'd MISSED it. The director had changed
her mind and decided not to have an intermission. I was FURIOUS. I
cried. I yelled at the director in front of a bunch of people. I totally
lost my temper. I could hardly face my daughter and tell her what had
happened because I knew how upset she'd be.

Just saying - we got through it. As hard as we try to do everything we
possibly can for our kids, there will be frustrations and let-downs and
disappointments in life. Because these are inevitable, we don't need to
manufacture them by imposing "natural consequences."

Sorry you had to go through it - I know exactly how you feel when you
let down your little one! Maybe try to make up for it by doing something
special for her.

-pam