Ok, so in a nutshell––we suck as parents. No, no, honestly…we do. We are horrible parents. You may not agree now, but you will…
My son, Caleb, had a Thanksgiving performance today at his school. You know, the kind where all the kids dress up like pilgrims or turkeys (didn’t the pilgrims eat the turkeys? Anyway…) and then sing some silly songs. If you’ve been to one of these things than you realize what the kids tend to do. They all stand up there performing for an audience of one––their parents. Their eyes are locked onto each and every expression their parents make, and likewise. So our son is up there singing away, proud as can be, looking for his parents (us) in the crowd. He looks, and looks, and looks…and looks……and looks. But he cannot find them. Why? Because we suck as parents, that’s why. We forgot!!!! Crap! (I could use another explicative, but I’ll choose this one). His poor little heart. Just sitting up there; the two people dearest to him are not there. Crap.
So when I go to pick up Caleb from school this afternoon he asks, “Dad, did you see my play?”
“Ughhhh…….no bud, I’m sorry, I didn’t even know about it.” Which I didn’t. So I suppose that gets me off the hook, a little.
“But mom knew,” he said.
“I’m really sorry, bud,” trying to change the subject, “Did you sing good?” Crap.
We came home. Jen saw his pilgrim hat and just crumbled. Then to rub salt on the wounds, Caleb began to sing some of his songs from the performance. Open the floodgates of tears. “Mom, why are you crying?” Because we suck as parents, that’s why!
But, I take comfort––all be it twisted––in the fact that we are not the only parents who suck. Two of our friends forgot too. But at least they had the wisdom, unlike me, to lie to their kids: “Um, yea honey, I saw it. I was in the back where you couldn’t see me.”
Crap. Why didn’t I think of that?
P.S. I hope you picked up on the sarcasm and tongue-in-cheekness! 
Mary Drummond said,
November 17, 2007 at 12:47 am
Jeromy: I feel your pain brother! But you’re not horrible parents! You’re human parents! And human parents make mistakes now and then. You may have two friends who forgot, but you can multiply that number exponentially with all the parents in the world who have made an honest mistake now and then with regards to their children. And children are so forgiving and often full of grace. Those times where you really screw up can give you an even playing field. You’ll develop a greater compassion when your kids mess up and forget something really important in the future. This moment hurts and angers you so much because you love and care so much. Horrible parents are the parents of the babies our family has had in foster care. Horrible parents hurt, abuse, and neglect their children. They’re selfish, dishonest and self-serving. That’s certainly not you, my friend! And..don’t lie to your kids when you make a mistake. It’s tempting…but it’s never best. Everyone wants to be perfect parents and to have their kids think they have the best parents in the world. But your kids will learn more and develop better character when they see you honestly apologize for a mistake, make plans so it doesn’t happen again and move on! I’m speaking from the ‘been there–done that’ club! Best to you and your family~
Jeromy said,
November 17, 2007 at 2:09 am
Thanks for your words Mary. You have seen the effects of truly horrible (or hurting and broken) parents. Bless you for what your doing. I don’t really think we’re horrible parents, more tongue-in-cheek than anything. But we do regret missing it. Caleb is a good kid; though sad, he understood. Missin’ you, Jeromy