Holiday Concerts at School: Why You Need to Be There

Earlier this week I took the morning off to attend my daughter's Holiday Sing-Along at her school. It was a chance for the kids to sing songs for their parents and to enjoy refreshments together. So why in the world, would I take the morning off from work to go to such a snore fest? Why should you want to go to any of these things anyway? Let's break it down shall we?

Is it because I enjoy the music?
No. The kids sang 6 songs in less than 8 minutes. Which means that it took longer to get out of the car, walk to the door, and find a seat then it did to hear all the songs. I can hear the same butchered Christmas carols at home every night.

Is it because I want to see how cute they all are?
Nope. You may be able to distinguish the cute kids from the not-as-cute, but the bottom line is no one is as cute as your own kid. And the only time you truly care about another kid standing up on stage is if it includes another one of your kids. Besides, I have already purchased the deluxe portrait package from Sears showcasing how cute my kids are in their holiday garb.

Is it because you want the video footage?
Negative. Taking video is good but to be honest, I have seen better film on teeth. The lighting is terrible, the acoustics are dreadful, and there's a fat guy standing in front of you. You will probably take 30 minutes of footage and will never watch it again.

Now that we have established it isn't for any of those reasons, what is it? Why should you take time out of your busy life to watch your kid sing for 8 minutes, and then share a cookie with you?

For me, the number one reason was so my daughter could see me in the audience. The look on her face when she saw me in the audience was powerful enough to defeat Skeletor, Cobra-La, and Megatron all at once. The smile she gave me made me feel warm inside all day.

Will she remember all the words to the songs 5 years from now? Probably not. Will she remember what dress she was wearing? Most likely, no. But she will remember that her family was there to watch her sing. And that's the only reason you should ever need.