As the ceremony went on, I could feel my tension rising. Why did they have to schedule the Leadership Presentation last
A Big Moment
A Big Moment
I had a big moment yesterday morning: it was partly relief, and a big chunk of pride.
I was sitting in the school hall of my daughter's primary school, watching the presentation of awards. As the ceremony went on, I could feel my tension rising. Why did they have to schedule the Leadership Presentation last?
You see, my daughter was one of 5 final candidates for School Captain. I could see her down in the front row, excitedly looking around and hugging one of her best friends.
"Please let her win it," I said silently to myself.
Another set of awards was handed out. Then an interval for a band performance. If you've ever sat through a long awards ceremony waiting for your category to come up, you know exactly how it felt!
Finally, the Principal stood to make her final speech and announce the leadership roles.
Prefects were named, and my daughter wasn't one of them.
Then the Vice Captains were called up... and my daughter wasn't one of them, either. Time seemed to slow down – I could see all the other kids up there, the current prefects and vice captains pinning the badges on the lapels of the new leaders.
My daighter was the last girl not yet called, it had to be her!
And in that moment, a massive lump make it's way out of my chest and lodge itself in my throat. My eyes started to tear up as the Principal called her up to receive her badge from the outgoing Captain.
Of course, it was awesome, but my pride wasn’t really about her winning the leadership role.
It was about how she’d put her mind to something, worked hard for it, and succeeded on her own terms. I knew how badly she really wanted it, and she’d put in the work completely based on her own motivation: writing speeches, working hard in class, and doing her best to be kind to the other kids around her.
Just as my other child had fundraised $2500 to pay her own way to a 10-day Scout camp in Queensland, my daughter had set a goal for herself, taken the risk of dreaming it was possible, and worked to make it a reality.
And that’s why, incredibly selfishly, I was relieved. As a parent, some of the toughest things to explain to your kids are when things don’t work out as expected. Both my kids have worked hard for things and missed out… and my real pride is that both of them have kept getting back up and having another go.
Which is all the inspiration I need to keep doing the same myself.
I was sitting in the school hall of my daughter's primary school, watching the presentation of awards. As the ceremony went on, I could feel my tension rising. Why did they have to schedule the Leadership Presentation last?
You see, my daughter was one of 5 final candidates for School Captain. I could see her down in the front row, excitedly looking around and hugging one of her best friends.
"Please let her win it," I said silently to myself.
Another set of awards was handed out. Then an interval for a band performance. If you've ever sat through a long awards ceremony waiting for your category to come up, you know exactly how it felt!
Finally, the Principal stood to make her final speech and announce the leadership roles.
Prefects were named, and my daughter wasn't one of them.
Then the Vice Captains were called up... and my daughter wasn't one of them, either. Time seemed to slow down – I could see all the other kids up there, the current prefects and vice captains pinning the badges on the lapels of the new leaders.
My daighter was the last girl not yet called, it had to be her!
And in that moment, a massive lump make it's way out of my chest and lodge itself in my throat. My eyes started to tear up as the Principal called her up to receive her badge from the outgoing Captain.
Of course, it was awesome, but my pride wasn’t really about her winning the leadership role.
It was about how she’d put her mind to something, worked hard for it, and succeeded on her own terms. I knew how badly she really wanted it, and she’d put in the work completely based on her own motivation: writing speeches, working hard in class, and doing her best to be kind to the other kids around her.
Just as my other child had fundraised $2500 to pay her own way to a 10-day Scout camp in Queensland, my daughter had set a goal for herself, taken the risk of dreaming it was possible, and worked to make it a reality.
And that’s why, incredibly selfishly, I was relieved. As a parent, some of the toughest things to explain to your kids are when things don’t work out as expected. Both my kids have worked hard for things and missed out… and my real pride is that both of them have kept getting back up and having another go.
Which is all the inspiration I need to keep doing the same myself.
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