My son had his annual Christmas party at school Thursday night.  It’s always a night of chaos and screaming kids and I don’t think I’ve ever really enjoyed it…  Sure I like seeing my kid perform with his peers and I’m tickled by the fact that he is entranced with his teacher.  He’s like me that way.  He’s motivated to do well in class.  To please her, to follow directions and to win the “I’m a good kid” award, harmful as all y’all may think.  If this is what motivates me kid, so be it.  It motivated me too.  They are all different, these kids.

But there’s never enough food.  There are never enough seats that are able to see the stage.  And kids can’t just sit still and wait their turn.  So even though I did find a seat, I was constantly in people’s way, as they pushed between chairs, chasing after their kids.  I guess normal parents don’t just let their kids run amuck?

All this build up and the story really isn’t that exciting.  But in my head, noteworthy.  When it was his turn, the lady who was manning the microphone called his group up.  He somehow heard her  (have I mentioned he goes to french immersion, so even if I COULD have heard her, I had no idea what she said) and made his way to the stage where he waited patiently with the rest of his group for their turn.

They sang a song in french.  I have no idea what the song was or what it was about.  They wore snowflakes on their hands.  It was cute and through the entire performance his eyes were glued on his teacher who cued them.  He sang along.  He didn’t look around, copying the other kids, the way they tend to do.  (I suspect he’s too young to really be self-conscious though.)  And as soon as the last note was out, he got off the stage.  He didn’t have that smug “look what I did, give me some praise” look on his face that I can’t stand.  (And that I CONTINUE to use to this day.)  He just got off stage and declared that he wanted more dessert.

Somehow I have ended up with a kid that is cooler than both his father and I.