Talent Show

For activity days Madisen had a talent show and her leaders lip-sang a song to Alvin and the Chipmunks. It was pretty cute. All the girls did very well in their talents. Madisen played the piano for everyone but I didn't get a picture of her because I was so focused on her I forgot. But it turned out pretty traumatic for her. She had been practicing her song for 2 weeks and played it perfectly. She even had it memorized. Well, she was so nervous she couldn't find "c" position and so she had her hands on the wrong keys. She started to play and immediately stopped and looked at me. I motioned to her from the back of the room that it was ok and to keep going. Well she did and you can guess how it sounded. She was devastated. As a mom your heart just goes out to your kids when they are in those types of situations. I didn't know whether to go up there and help her or stay back. I didn't want to maybe embarrass her more by going up there. So I just sat there with a broken heart for her. 

Graciously everyone clapped and she came over to sit by me and just started to cry. It wasn't as bad as she thought it was and I tried to reaffirm that to her. I told her I was so proud of her for having the courage to even try to play for everyone. We left early as she was just so upset. She started piano 5 months ago and the other girls that played that day have been playing for 3-4 years. So I told her she can't compare herself with them. One day, I told her, she will be playing just as well as them if she keeps practicing and working hard at it. I told her of an embarrassing experience I had during one of my piano recitals and told her everyone has at least one! I think that helped as I got a laugh out of her. Later that night we had her play it again in for our family. And she did it perfectly. 

Ryan and I are very proud of her and we love to hear her play. Sometimes she really enjoys it and other times it's a battle to get her to practice. I guess that's how it always is as a parent. Ups and downs!

I just pray and hope that she learned something from this and it made her stronger and want to try again and not give up. I also hope she learned to have compassion on those that find themselves in her situation and to reach out to them as one girl did for her.