No matter how hard you try, sometimes as a working mom things fall through the cracks.
With the school year almost done, there are many school activities, such as class performances, choir concert, field trips, and other important school activities taking place. Many of them taking place during the school day.
Even though I pride myself in my organizational skills, I had a feeling I was missing something…something important.
This past week was very busy with both work and family demands. My 5th and 7th graders had performances on the same night at the same time. Plus, I was entertaining out-of-town business partners.
It was between the business meeting and dinner when I received the phone call from my 7th grader.
“Mom, were you there at today’s award ceremony?” My 7th grader asks? I reply, “What award ceremony?”
The annual award ceremony is where the teachers give special recognition to students for their outstanding performance throughout the year. Normally, the school notifies the parents of those students who are receiving an award, but I did not remember receiving such an email.
“Mom, I got 2 awards today; one for perfect attendance and one for Texas History. I was the ONLY student who received an award whose parents were not there!” (Talk about Mommy Guilt!)
But with an important business partner in town and having meetings all day, I’m not sure, even if I had known about the award ceremony, I could have made it.
I told my son I was sorry that I and his father were not there for him when he received his awards, but that I was still very proud of him. I also told him he should be proud of himself as well. AND that I was sure there were some other parents who did not get the email too!
My absence on his big day is a scar I will have for quite a long time. Being a working mom is not easy. But it is a choice I made and I’m sure we all with be okay in the long run.
The awards are wonderful, just like my son.
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