Stage Fright

All last week and through the weekend my sweet sweet boy practiced for his "Walk Through History" black history presentation for school. He is only 3 so his presentation consisted of the following 3 lines, "James Weldon Johnson was born in Florida. He grew up to be a poet (sometimes said as poe-nent). James Weldon Johnson wrote "Lift Every Voice & Sing"." I listened to this speech morning, noon, and night and because I really wanted him to do well, I listened happily and clapped each time.

We practiced when he took his picture for his poster. We practiced while we made his poster, saying the fact as we cut them out and pasted them. We practiced on the way to and from school. Mostly, at his request. I was so proud of his proactive approach.

His teacher told me he practiced in class. She said he was saying it loud and clear. My mother said he repeated over and over at her house. He said it for his Godmommy on the phone. He said it for people at the housewarming. He even said it for his little sister.

Yesterday was the big day. After pretending to sing with the other preschool kids. It was time for them to give their presentations. They let most of the girls go first and most of them got shy and quiet and needed teacher assistance. I had to tell LoLo that it was not okay to laugh or interrupt the other children saying things like, "I can't hear" or "She doesn't know". 3 year olds are tough crowd. They were all heckling each other.

As I watched them clam up I thought to myself, I know my baby is ready. He is going to show these kids a thing or two. So I waited and when his time came he got up and walked to the front. The teacher asked, "And who are you?"

LoLo: SILENCE...
Teacher: Who are you? (Points to the board)
LoLo: (whispers) james weldon johnson
Teacher: And what did you do?
LoLo: (still wispering) mummble mumble poet.
Teacher: What did he write?
LoLo: he wrote LiftEveryVoiceAndSing. (He said it just like that- as one word.)

I was astonished and appalled. How is it that my son, who talks to everyone and whose talking voice can wake his sister from downstairs, could get up there and not talk? I could not believe it. Then like the singing frog in the old cartoons, the minute people started leaving he started saying it just like rehearsed.

So I did what every good parent in my position would do. I left him in the class to do it 3 more times for the people who missed it the first time. I wasn't going to let all that practice go to waste.