piano recital

My oldest is going to be in a piano recital this month, her first. Her nerves have tried to get her over the last several weeks and I am empathetic to those feelings. She is nervous about people watching her, walking up stairs onto a stage, performing a song in front of an audience and other things I would be nervous about too. I thought knowing her song well would bring some needed confidence along with a fancy new recital dress, and it has. She sat down recently to practice Good King Wenceslas and upon completion she jumped to her feet and declared, "That was freaking awesome!'" I stood there trying to not let my jaw hit the ground too hard. I assured her she had played it perfectly, but asked where she had heard that phrase. Concerned she asked, "Did I say something bad?" I explained that our family didn't use the word freaking because it wasn't a very positive word. (How in the world to explain this?!?!) She felt bad and I explained that she didn't know and now she did and it was all ok. She said, "Well that's what they said in the movie last night (Night at the Museum) and I thought it was a cool thing to say. I won't say it anymore mom." And there you have it. Why yes, Ben Stiller does say freaking awesome in that movie and my 6 year old's ears heard it, recalled it and used it in context. So, maybe we didn't earn a gold star for parenting on that day, but thankfully there's always tomorrow.