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My 11-year old daughter got an ensemble part in Les Miz with a very good children's theater company (they've had a couple of kids get parts on Broadway and Off-Broadway). It's her second show with the company (the first was as a Wickersham Brother in Seussical). She's been very happy, but rehearsals are relentless, just about every evening from 6:30-9 and Saturday afternoons.

Unfortunately, last night was the last session of Dog Training at PetSmart for our two little Italian Greyhounds. My daughter had been to all the classes, but would have to miss the last one because she committed to being at all the Les Miz rehearsals. She was extremely upset (tears and much drama - she's found the right passion) that she'd have to miss the graduation pictures and the little graduation caps the dogs would get to wear. She got herself all worked up to the point where her mom and I said, "You made a commitment to the play, but we're not going to make you go. If you want to go to the graduation that badly, you can live with the consequences of your decision."

I'm very proud that she decided to keep her commitment not to miss rehearsals except for emergencies. She sniffled all the way there, but did what she had promised to do.

As long as I'm bragging about my kids, I should also post that I am proud of my son. Swim team has started, so for the third year in a row he'll be getting to practice at 5am each weekday morning (because his high school doesn't have a pool and it's the only time they can get the pool at the community college across the street from the high school). I loved the sports I played in high school, but I don't know if I would've stuck with them if it meant getting up at 4am each day. But, he is up on his own and ready to go be 4:30.

Of course, what this means for me since he has not gotten his Driver's License is that I roll out of bed at 4:30 each morning to take him. Although I am no morning person, I try not to be too grumpy as I want to encourage him. But, I am definitely feeling it here on day three. I am TIRED!

But, I try to appreciate the time with him and think about how much I will miss doing this next year when he is at college.

This is great! That's one of the very important things I try to instill in my kids--honoring your commitments. And if your plans change, call anyone who will be affected by the change.

And good for your son--my oldest loves kayaking and had considered rowing crew when he hit the Upper School, until his cousin mentioned how early the team hit the docks in the morning. That put the kibosh on THOSE plans! He rolls out at 6 during the week, so his weekend sleep-ins are sacred to him.

Good for your daughter!

Our older two kids have been facing these "priority" issues a bit this year with dance and sports, especially the former. They have rehearsals and competitions on Saturday, which also is a very popular day for birthday parties of their friends and classmates. They have had to show up late or leave early from parties. (Thankfully, they have not had to miss one, yet.)

We did explain before they made the commitment that dance/soccer would take priority, seeing how others are counting on them. Every now and then, they need to be reminded.

Pats on the back for your son, too!

BTW, just b/c I am curious -- how does your son feel about not having a driver's license as a high school senior? (I note that you said that he would be off to college next year)

trevor_macfee wrote:My 11-year old daughter got an ensemble part in Les Miz with a very good children's theater company (they've had a couple of kids get parts on Broadway and Off-Broadway). It's her second show with the company (the first was as a Wickersham Brother in Seussical). She's been very happy, but rehearsals are relentless, just about every evening from 6:30-9 and Saturday afternoons.

Unfortunately, last night was the last session of Dog Training at PetSmart for our two little Italian Greyhounds. My daughter had been to all the classes, but would have to miss the last one because she committed to being at all the Les Miz rehearsals. She was extremely upset (tears and much drama - she's found the right passion) that she'd have to miss the graduation pictures and the little graduation caps the dogs would get to wear. She got herself all worked up to the point where her mom and I said, "You made a commitment to the play, but we're not going to make you go. If you want to go to the graduation that badly, you can live with the consequences of your decision."

I'm very proud that she decided to keep her commitment not to miss rehearsals except for emergencies. She sniffled all the way there, but did what she had promised to do.

Did you get to keep the graduation caps? Maybe you can recreate the ceremony for her at home as a surprise.

Appa23 wrote:Pats on the back for your son, too!

BTW, just b/c I am curious -- how does your son feel about not having a driver's license as a high school senior? (I note that you said that he would be off to college next year)

Here's the deal with the license - it's always been in his court. One thing about my son - we trust him to know when he is ready for stuff. Although he could've done it sooner, he just finished the classroom part of Driver's Ed, and now needs to get his learner's to do the road part. Hopefully that will happen soon.

He has always been cautious - I can remember him in T-Ball getting in back of the line to bat, then letting others get in front of him when he got to the front of the line until he felt he had it figured out just right how to do it.

Part of that, I think, comes from his Tourette Syndrome. Part of it comes from his very rough early childhood (not sure if I've posted before that he's a son from my wife's unfortunate first marriage, and that I adopted him a few years back when his father completely turned his back on him). Sooo, we are careful not to rush him into anything, but to walk the tightrope of being encouraging at the same time. He's come a long way, and as I said above, I'm very proud of him, and if a Driver's License isn't among his priorities I'm not going to push it.

Thanks for asking.

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:

trevor_macfee wrote:My 11-year old daughter got an ensemble part in Les Miz with a very good children's theater company (they've had a couple of kids get parts on Broadway and Off-Broadway). It's her second show with the company (the first was as a Wickersham Brother in Seussical). She's been very happy, but rehearsals are relentless, just about every evening from 6:30-9 and Saturday afternoons.

Unfortunately, last night was the last session of Dog Training at PetSmart for our two little Italian Greyhounds. My daughter had been to all the classes, but would have to miss the last one because she committed to being at all the Les Miz rehearsals. She was extremely upset (tears and much drama - she's found the right passion) that she'd have to miss the graduation pictures and the little graduation caps the dogs would get to wear. She got herself all worked up to the point where her mom and I said, "You made a commitment to the play, but we're not going to make you go. If you want to go to the graduation that badly, you can live with the consequences of your decision."

I'm very proud that she decided to keep her commitment not to miss rehearsals except for emergencies. She sniffled all the way there, but did what she had promised to do.

Did you get to keep the graduation caps? Maybe you can recreate the ceremony for her at home as a surprise.

That was her first question when I picked her up from rehearsal! Sadly, the answer was no.

But, there were a couple of things that made her feel better:

1. Only the dogs are in the pictures being displayed at PetSmart, so she did not miss out on a family picture that would be on display (like I said, acting is the right thing for her).

2. She apparently got a solo she wouldn't have gotten if she hadn't been at rehearsal last night.

3. My son took a lot of pictures that she enjoyed looking at. Her first question when we got home was, "Where's the camera?"

Thanks for the license info! My oldest is 15 and champing at the bit to get behind the wheel of a car, but Rain Man is 13 and is a wonderful learner but not so great when it comes to making decisions on the fly. I just don't know what I'm going to do when he's 16 and wants to follow in his big brother's footsteps.

Stephen's tics have greatly diminished over the years. He had been monitored for possible Tourette's since about 4th grade, but it turned out to just be RPIM and he hasn't been on medication for three years now.

trevor_macfee wrote: Unfortunately, last night was the last session of Dog Training at PetSmart for our two little Italian Greyhounds. My daughter had been to all the classes, but would have to miss the last one because she committed to being at all the Les Miz rehearsals. She was extremely upset (tears and much drama - she's found the right passion) that she'd have to miss the graduation pictures and the little graduation caps the dogs would get to wear. She got herself all worked up to the point where her mom and I said, "You made a commitment to the play, but we're not going to make you go. If you want to go to the graduation that badly, you can live with the consequences of your decision."

Mr. Trevor, I am a big-girl greyhound, and I am an expert about headwear for dogs. Those graduation hats are all one size, and that size is too big for little-dog heads. My little sister Lizbit is a PetSmart graduate, and the hats fit her only because she is a big fat meathead. On your tiny, beautiful Italian greyhounds, the hats would have covered their ears, or fallen down over their eyes, or turned completely upside down -- held on by stretched-out elastic -- to look like square black beards beneath their chins. Their graduation pictures would have made them look drunk and unruly, instead of beautiful and intelligent, as befits their magnificent heritage. Your dogs would have realized that, too, and they would have been most unhappy about such unflattering, prospectively libelous photography.

You didn't say whether anybody else took the dogs to pick up their certificates. If they were not able to receive their pieces of paper, you let me know. I can send papers from the Four-Footers Critters Club and Opera Appreciation Society (FFCC&OAS), of which I am founder. My certificates are every bit as attractive and just as suitable for framing as those papers from PetSmart. Plus, your dogs will be in really good company with their fellow FFCC&OAS members.

I am very excited about your daughter's being in Les Miz. As you may know, I love elaborate stage productions with beautiful music. I send her wet kisses and warm snuggles.

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