Sarah had the whole school part of the speech competition today and let me just say all those kids were amazing! I have no idea how they managed to memorize such elaborate pieces. When it was Sarah's turn she froze for about 30 seconds {it seemed so much longer} and I had been standing up to film her had to sit down {I could hardly stand to see her struggle - it hurt my heart}. She ended up pulling it together and said her poem without a mistake {a little on the quite side} and I recovered eventually. In talking to her about it later she "freaked out" {her words, not mine} because she thought she should say the name of her poem {everyone else had} and her poem didn't have a name - so she sat there frozen, debating it in her mind until her "teacher saved" her and told her to start from the beginning, and off she went. It is amazing to me how physically emotional it is to watch you child struggle.
After all of the class poems were done they announced the winners from each categories {humorous, serious, & religious} and each grouping and although they gave everyone a participation ribbon {that happened to say 1st place on it- but it didn't fool her!} Sarah was not singled out as a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place winner in her group. I knew it was going to be trouble by the way she reacted when they announced the 3rd place winner and as she walked back to her chair {slumped over and beginning to cry} my heart broke for her again. I called her over to me and gave her a big hug, told her how proud I was of her and gave the big speech on trying your best being the thing that counted the most. You win some you loose some {a little less glib with her though}. As I walked out of the school someone asked me if Sarah was OK and I replied "It's just one of those life lessons" and it is. The kids these days get trophy's and ribbons just for participating{the school did both but Sarah knew she "didn't win"} not for winning and one day sooner or later they are going to figure out that the real world doesn't work that way and I take the stance that some things are better learned sooner as opposed to when it is a bigger deal. As kids get bigger the stakes get higher and it's better to learn the lesson when the stakes are lower. That said I did everything I could to make her feel better and she is already planning for next year {she wants to do a serious poem}. Now we have the talent show tomorrow. Thank goodness they don't have winners or losers for that event - I'm not sure my heart could take another life lesson for Sarah.
After all of the class poems were done they announced the winners from each categories {humorous, serious, & religious} and each grouping and although they gave everyone a participation ribbon {that happened to say 1st place on it- but it didn't fool her!} Sarah was not singled out as a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place winner in her group. I knew it was going to be trouble by the way she reacted when they announced the 3rd place winner and as she walked back to her chair {slumped over and beginning to cry} my heart broke for her again. I called her over to me and gave her a big hug, told her how proud I was of her and gave the big speech on trying your best being the thing that counted the most. You win some you loose some {a little less glib with her though}. As I walked out of the school someone asked me if Sarah was OK and I replied "It's just one of those life lessons" and it is. The kids these days get trophy's and ribbons just for participating{the school did both but Sarah knew she "didn't win"} not for winning and one day sooner or later they are going to figure out that the real world doesn't work that way and I take the stance that some things are better learned sooner as opposed to when it is a bigger deal. As kids get bigger the stakes get higher and it's better to learn the lesson when the stakes are lower. That said I did everything I could to make her feel better and she is already planning for next year {she wants to do a serious poem}. Now we have the talent show tomorrow. Thank goodness they don't have winners or losers for that event - I'm not sure my heart could take another life lesson for Sarah.
1 comment:
I think watching your kids learn life lessons is one of the hardest things in life. Don't you just want to freeze time and explain that everything will be OK in the middle of things like that!
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