Day 09 - This is just a sham at this point.

Ok, the whole one post a day plan is pretty much in the toilet so this will be the last "Day" themed post.  Although I'll probably still steal some post ideas because I never have any of my own.

So remember when I said that I spend a ridiculous amount of time worrying that I've offended someone?  Well, I've done it again.  Yesterday on the radio the were discussing leaving your child's Christmas concert before it was finished.  The morning show hosts were kind of making light of it and one very ignorant woman phoned in to say that Christmas concerts were "painful" and that she changes her work shift each year so she has an excuse not to go.

This struck a nerve because I have some experiences with Christmas concerts, so I wrote a letter.  Which I don't ever do.  But here it is...(oh, and this same dumb broad said that her teacher friends told her that they judge the kids because their parents are rude and leave early...which may be true but I'm sure no one would admit it...)

I am so disheartened by the conversation I heard on the radio this morning that I feel compelled to respond. 

It is ridiculous that there is even a conversation questioning whether it is rude to leave a concert early.  It’s not only rude and inconsiderate it’s just WRONG.  Teachers and students work for weeks preparing a concert for the COMMUNITY, because that’s what the community asks of them.  Teachers and schools are trying to instil values such as common courtesy and respect so what message are these parents sending when they can’t even devote an hour or two over the course of an entire school year to their children and the school community? 

I’m sure teachers aren’t judging their students by the parents’ behaviour, they would understand that students are children who are still learning social courtesies, but an adult should know better.  A school Christmas concert is not a Broadway production, and it’s too bad that parents find them “painful”, but what’s really painful is when a student looks into the crowd during their performance only to see people walking out, or worse yet, a nearly empty auditorium.  That message speaks volumes.  And how selfish and sad that a parent would choose to change their shift rather than spend time with their child, especially at Christmastime.

It’s a sad commentary on our society today that this rude behaviour can be rationalized because people seem to think that they’re too busy or (apparently) too important and that the rules of civility don’t apply to them.  If you don’t have any common sense or a modicum of respect for the professional teaching your child, the other families in attendance or your own child for that matter, you should probably just stay home.  REDACTED, it’s your choice to leave early from your child’s concert but please don’t be so discourteous to our hardworking educational professionals and the children and families in our community as to encourage others to follow your example.  Common courtesy should be the rule, not the exception.

I received a reply from the host thanking me for my feedback and letting me know that they would be reading my letter on-air because I had made some good points (obvs.).  So in typical Tee fashion I worried about this all night, and figured I'd get in trouble at work or at the very least come across like a crazy person.  Anyways, the boy heard it on the radio but I didn't hear it at all...how anti-climactic.