The Talent Show

While in the U.S., you might invite friends for a party a week or more before the event, and you might notify parents of significant school events a month or more before the event, I've noticed that the norm here is to do everything at the last minute.  We might get a kid's birthday party invitation a day or two before the party (super convenient when you discover you need to shop for a gift in the middle of the week--so, I've taken to stockpiling "just in case gifts"), and not much more for school events.

Late last week, we got a school notice saying that there is a talent show at the school this coming weekend, but there were few details.  The key piece of information that was missing was who would be participating, and how to sign up.  Two days ago, we received a note with three tickets attached, instructing us that we should be about $2.50 apiece for them, in order to attend the show.  It's not much money, and it's a fundraiser, so I didn't mind--but, there was still no information about participating in the show.  

When I asked Miss M about it, she told me quite emphatically that she was wearing a dress and singing and dancing in the show, and that they were going to give her a microphone.  I assumed her class was doing something, until I got an email from her teacher that said that only two students from her class were participating--and neither of the girls listed in the email was my daughter.  I went back to Miss M and asked her again, but she was quite adamant that she was performing.

I sent her teacher an email to inquire, and got a curt email back.  She said that only two girls who were involved in an after-school class (belly dancing--as an elective--I have a whole other rant about the appropriateness of that, but anywho. . .) were participating.  She also said that Miss M had to sign up in May to participate.  May.  MAY.  It's the end of August, and dear Lord, the child is 4 years old.  She had to sign up in May?!

My husband broke the news to Miss M after school yesterday, and she was quite upset.  I sat down with Miss M last night to prepare her, but when I talked to her, she refused to believe that she wasn't in the show.  It was rather adorable, actually.  She said that her teacher must have been joking.  So, I did what any cowardly forward-thinking mother would do:  I told her that she should talk to her teacher about it today.  And, I told her that if she wasn't able to participate in the talent show at school, that we would hold our own talent show at home.

I also emailed the teacher, and let her know that Miss M was quite convinced that she was participating, and suggested that perhaps she could talk with her about it.  The teacher must have, because when I asked Miss M about it tonight, she told me that she wasn't in it.  But, she then said that it didn't matter, because we were having our own talent show.  :)  

I know that my daughter's teacher thinks she is hopelessly spoiled.  And, in this country where the average person earns a few thousand dollars a year, comparatively speaking, I'm sure she is.  But I also think that there is no reason to needlessly disappoint 4 year olds.  They've got their whole lives for that.