Yes, I agreed to help chaperone several dozen teenagers as they participated in a ballroom dance competition in Idaho.
Yes, I was of sound mind when I agreed to do this.
Yes, I understood what would be involved in making such a decision.
Actually, this isn't the first time I've attended this particular event. Last year I drove up with my daughter. Having never been, last year was draining. There's just so...many...kids. And when you get hundreds and hundreds of teenager ballroom dancers in one place it gets...so...loud.
The difference between this year and last, last year I wasn't a chaperone. I was just a dad. So far, it's been about the same, except we had a pair of siblings riding up with us. They were well-behaved and pleasant company.
Come to think of it, every teenager I encountered today was well-behaved. That's the amazing thing--so many kids in one place, and they're respectful, kind to each other, and friendly. It's easy to condemn a generation. By looking at examples of poor choices, everyone can be labeled as such. And even though they were loud, that's about the worst of it.
Of course, we're only a few hours into our adventure. We've all got a few days to be together. Thankfully, I'm in a hotel room, away from the masses when I need sleep. I'm sure bunking with everyone would make things tougher. I don't anticipate the kids getting a lot of sleep the next few days.
Tonight my daughter dances. It's an honor watching her compete. She's brave like that--something I most likely wouldn't have dared to at her age. Then again, maybe I would. I know one thing, when I was a teenager, there were times I was very loud.
Yes, I agreed to help chaperone several dozen teenagers as they participated in a ballroom dance competition in Idaho.
Yes, I was of sound mind when I agreed to do this.
Yes, I'm glad I did.
No comments:
Post a Comment