I think one of the most important lessons in parenting is fully embracing (and I mean acknowledging, accepting and celebrating) that your child is not you. His or her tastes, personality, and interests will be uniquely their own. Sure, nurture plays a part and maybe your offspring will be your mini me in many ways big and small. But in the end, nature always wins, and that's a wonderful and glorious thing. Sounds pretty simple and easy doesn't it? But as evidenced by pushy stage moms and hard-driving dad coaches (or, in the bigger picture, by parents not accepting of their kids' life choices), if we're being honest, it can be a challenge.
Owen played baseball for 5 years. I loved it. Although never much of an athlete myself, I am super competitive and love watching sports, so I was more than happy sitting in the bleachers cheering, and then being the Diamondback team mom. Bob was an excellent athlete growing up and I know he really enjoyed the experience too. And while he liked playing, this year when I asked Owen about signing up, he said "no thanks". I guess I could have registered him anyway and he would have been okay with it, but the truth is that Owen is not a natural athlete. He doesn't have the inclination nor desire to practice throwing, catching or batting for hours each week, and I think he recognizes it's not one of his strengths. To me, making him play wouldn't be respecting and honoring Owen.
But, while I do listen to what Owen wants, I also think it's important that kids are involved in some activities besides school (and video games). Enter stage right ... acting. Why? Well, Owen has always seemed to enjoy making up scenarios where he's taking on another role. When we watched "Storage Wars" a few years ago, he liked to stand in front of us and be the auctioneer. Anyone who's been around him in the last year or so knows his penchant for pretending to be a WWE wrestler - complete with choreographed moves and voice overs. Once he started to write a play, and the boy does love to dress in costume. So, while not exactly overwhelming evidence of a budding Oscar winner, I decided maybe theater might be his "thing", or at least something he didn't hate doing.
So I signed him up for the local Arts Center's children's production of "Sleeping Beauty" and took a somewhat hesitant Owen to his first practice in the beginning of March. He didn't audition for a speaking role, so I was quite surprised when after practice one night I learned the director had asked him if he wanted to play Young Prince Phillip and have three lines (well, two lines and an "accckkkk") and Owen had accepted. He was pretty nonchalant about his new role, but liked knowing he'd be wearing a cape and crown.
Fast forward to last Friday night. I think Bob and I were far more nervous than Owen for his stage debut. Would he freeze up when he looked out and saw a packed house? Would he remember his lines and would anyone actually be able to hear him? On the car ride to the theater Owen wondered aloud if he should say his lines in a different voice each show; I crossed my fingers and told him to use his best judgment as an actor (and thought to myself, yep, this could be very, um, entertaining).
My friend Missy and I had volunteered to be backstage moms, which meant we got to goof around with the props before the show and then stand in the wings to watch the production. And when the cast finally made it's first appearance on stage, I had a great view of Owen.
I watched with a bursting-with-joy heart as our Young Prince Phillip joined the Royal Family on it's dais, singing the opening number with a huge smile on his face. Owen looked absolutely thrilled! He nailed his lines then ran off stage for a costume change and to wait to rejoin the cast for the final number and take a bow.
In typical Owen fashion, he wasn't bouncing off the walls like many of the actors post performance; in fact, I was probably more hyped up than him. But he seemed pretty pleased with the fact that two girls from school had come up to him in the lobby afterward and told him he did a good job, and he was happy - just calmly, "this feels right, this feels good" - happy.
I don't know how much further the acting bug will take him. He did tell me that for his next play he thinks he wants more lines, and when asked he rated the whole thing a 9 out of 10 on a scale of how much he enjoyed it. I've found a theater group in Charlotte and he's said he'd like to go to one of their summer camps. I'll obviously have to learn more about this whole theater thing; it's a whole new language for me and it's certainly different than youth sports. Luckily I have my cousin Brenda and dear friend Amanda (who both have incredibly talented actors in their family) to help me get the lay of the land.
Yes, I still miss baseball. But, seeing Owen shine this weekend in something I think he truly enjoys is a million times better - for all of us. Challenge accepted, lesson learned, and Bravo!
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