parenting on center stage

It was a long wait before the competition started. Long enough to plant the seeds of fear - not in the children that were wearing their numbers on their formal dresses - but in each of the parents who gathered to wait.

St. Mary's School had organized this search for singing talents and the whole grade school sent in their nominees. Nika was to sing among them and the whole family sat in front of the stage, ready to watch her.

Children were scattered all over the school court, whispering to each other their bets. And the contestants were all huddled at the back of the stage, running around, watching those on deck or just plain chatting.

But you got to hand it to the parents.

A boy walked in the stage. A mother scuffled in the first row of the seats. She was unrolling a cartolina paper and written upon it were the lyrics of the song that her son would sing. I thought she was at a loss what to do first - to take photos or to hold up that piece of paper. But the lights were out and the audience area was dimmed in order to give focus to the performer on stage. I wished with all my heart that the boy saw the words.. and prayed that he would remember all his lyrics so he would not have to refer to the copy.

A girl in full makeup was ready to sing. But her recorded musical accompaniment would not work. Then music suddenly played.. but it was obviously the wrong one because the young girl fidgeted. A man suddenly stood up from the front seats and went to the musical director's area to instruct the technician on the correct music. It was finally on and the man faced his daughter, giving her the thumbs up and putting his hands together all the while she was singing.

A little girl in full costume came. She was so much into the song, feeling it with the all the emotions and making her matching gestures. And she was gazing straight to just one person in the audience. I followed her eyes and saw her mother. The woman was alternately waving her arms and placing her hands to her chest. She was mouthing the words to the song for her daughter and those sitting near her were staring at her, short of being amazed.

I smiled. And worried on my own in silence. The contestants before Nika were good and I decided for us to leave after she will deliver her song. You know, spare her the disappointment when she would not make it. It was eight o'clock in the evening anyway and we were hungry too. I took a good look at the trophies. Then I promised to buy a bigger and better one and give it to Nika - for her courage to join this competition, if for nothing else.

She sang and I was so sure I was not breathing the whole time she did. Picture of pure naivety and inexperience, she just sang it simply like the way she would at home.. while touching her gown at moments, in the same manner she would lovingly stroke her plush toy giraffe when she goes to sleep.

After her song and as we were getting ready to leave for dinner, she asked me effortlessly: "But Mom, how can I get my trophy if we leave now?"

How to answer a question like that? I just smiled at her and gave her a big hug. Told her she was the best for me, but for her not to expect too much, and if she indeed wins, she could always get the trophy the next day she reports to school.

After a dinner of prime steak, and as I was getting ready for bed at home, a message came through my cellular phone. It was a note of congratulations from one of the teachers - Nika won second place!

Mike and I looked up the girl and saw that she was already sleeping. As this set of parents could finally rest for the night with a smile and a sigh.. and there's no more need for me to order that personal trophy, Nika moved and reached for her toy giraffe. The sleep of the innocent. And the winner.