Christmas Program

Yesterday was the Christmas program at church. Each of the kids had a part and the Primary sang the majority of the music. Helmut had a short duet with a seven-year-old girl from the ward. On the way home I complimented him on how well he sang and he tartly replied, “I know, my beautiful voice totally drowned out her squeaky little voice.” I like to teach my kids confidence, but perhaps I need to work on their confidence to humility ratio a little more. Josh also got up and recited his part perfectly and sang the words to every song despite momentous distraction. What momentous distraction you ask. I am sure in an effort to keep a five-year-old’s stage fright at bay; they seated Samantha next to Josh during the program. Although their intentions were genuine, they could not have made a bigger mistake. She poked, pinched, prodded, punched, pestered and spit at him for most of the program. After a few minutes of this horseplay, Helmut marched up to the front of our VERY small chapel and sat on the front row in an effort to deter her horrible behavior. It didn’t work. He finally was forced to walk up on stage and whisper a very stern talkin’ to in her ear. I am not sure what he said, but it worked. For the rest of the program she stood in front of her seat with her arms folded, eyes squinted in anger and her lips pursed in utter disgust. Of course her turn to speak came and she reluctantly walked up to the podium and stood the exact same way while the leader said her part for her. That girl really knows how to make her parents proud! Once the program was over and the kids were allowed to return to sit with their parents, Helmut asked her why she was being so naughty up on the stage. At that point, she just broke down and sobbed for the next ten minutes.

She spent the rest of the day at home nicely singing all the songs she missed and perfectly reciting her part. Oh well, there is always next year.