Recently, a child cried on my son’s shoulder at graduation.  No one showed up for her.  No one to see her walk across the stage or stand and be honored for her achievements.  The seats reserved for her family were empty.  My son felt so bad.  To make matters worse, he had been invited to the after graduation party her family was throwing at a retail location down the street.   The kids were going to get to hang out, mix CD’s, eat, and, evidently, be filmed for a reality TV series.  So, where was her family?  Evidently, prepping for the party.  It turns out that they were more concerned about how they would appear on camera at a 5^th grade graduation party for some rinky dink reality show than they were about actually showing up for their kid’s big moment.   That’s some seriously messed up priorities.

My son’s friend and many of their friends did go to her parents’ “wanna be reality TV show / CD mixin’ / D-celebrity who doesn’t show up to her kid’s graduation party” but my son chose to go to another party.   And in a moment of reflection, at the end of the day, he grabbed my hand and said, “Thanks mom, for being there for me today.”

Kids notice.  And they know what’s going on.  And if you tell yourself that “it” (whatever it is) is no big deal or that there will be plenty of other “its” then you might want to examine your priorities and question why you became a parent in the first place.