Tuesday, February 28, 2006

February band camp

It is bittersweet to watch your child work so hard. He plays a contra (tuba) the heaviest horn in the band. Last camp he came home defeated, dehydrated, and weak. He worked everyday since, jogging and at the gym. This camp I saw a different person. He was determined to do this. I saw him drinking water at every break - he learned the hard way that he must hydrate or his muscles will not work for him.

We had an interesting weekend. On Saturday, Preston had to attend a mandatory concert evaluation with his high school band. I had to pick him up at band camp at noon and drive like a bat out of hell back home to get him there on time. He participated in the evaulation which took about an hour, then we were back in the car enroute to Ocala.


In concert band he gets to sit down with his horn! One of the most wonderful things about all this activity, believe it or not, is the time we spend alone together in the car. He is a captive audience, I can talk to him, and even more important - he can talk to me. He told me on Saturday that he may not want to march with The Magic. By Sunday, he had changed his mind again. He is ambivilent about going on tour for the whole summer. I told him that it is his decision, but that it is a chance of a lifetime. I hope he goes, but time will tell. He has one more camp before he has to make up his mind and make a commitment. "Terrible twos" in a child's life are a piece of cake compared to being the mother of a teenager!

3 comments:

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Oh how right you are about the terrible twos and the teenager. Give me the 2 year old.

It's nice that you get to have alone time with your teen, even though he is captive in your car. Hopefully it was a long ride so that you had plenty of time to talk.

I hope that he goes on his trip too, because it is a chance of a lifetime when they get to go away. My granddaughter went to France for two weeks in HS and everyone was telling her not to go...it was too dangerous. But you know...when was she ever going to get a chance like this again? Her Papaw & I told her to go and have fun. Why worry?
I say don't worry until you definately have something to worry about. And be happy until then.

I enjoyed reading about your trip and it sounded like you had a good time although you didn't get to see a bear. I know that you didn't want to see one...but that sure would have made it exciting!@?!

Motherkitty said...

Good luck to your son. I know participating in Magic is extremely hard work and carrying around that large instrument could not be fun.

I can remember my kids attending band camp and playing in their bands at college. My daughter was a music major and played several instruments -- tenor sax in marching band, and oboe and English horn in orchestra and woodwind ensemble. My son played French horn and marching mellophone. I know how hard they worked.

So, congratulate your son for me and tell him to keep up the good work! And, good for you for being such a devoted mom and accompanying him to all his band camps and practices. He will thank you for it when he grows up.

Jellyhead said...

I keep hearing this, about the teen years being the hardest. It's making me just a little apprehensive! Luckily, my two are pretty good kids - not really tantrum-ers or very disobedient, so the 'terrible two's' weren't terrible for me. I suppose I'll get my come-uppance when they're teens, then?!

I'm glad your son felt better at this recent camp. Let us know what he decides in the end about The Magic.

And thank you, Tuff, for being so lovely to me about my losing my anonymity on my blog. It really did rattle me, as some of what I've written feels quite private to me, so your words were very soothing. :)