We all dreamed of our kids being the star player, class president, the lead in the school musical, the head cheerleader, the first in class recognized around the world as being my son or daughter. When Tom’s first child was in second grade, he knew a star was about to be discovered.
The assignment was to write a short story at home and, later that week, read it aloud to the class. Parents would be invited to that particular class. After his daughter completed her story – a masterpiece – Tom rehearsed it with the writer/actress extraordinaire. She was dynamite. She read with dramatic flair. Tom beamed with pride when his daughter performed the story rather than simply read it. She would knock the competition off their seats, and he would bask in the oohs and ahs of the other moms and dads.
The unforgettable performance
The day of the story readings finally arrived – and none too soon as far as Tom was concerned. There were a few other children who read first. They were OK, but they obviously were timid second-graders. When it was his little girl’s turn, she stood, opened her little book and started to read. To Tom’s horror, she moved her lips but nothing came out! There was no energy, no verve, no astonishing talent beyond her years. No one could hear her. She read like like a timid second-grader. Hers might have been the worst presentation of all. When she closed her book to polite applause and returned to her seat, Tom wanted to beg the teacher to give her a second chance. Tom’s second-grade starlet had punctured his ego.
Be proud, not pushy