I taught high school color guard for 16-ish years. The majority of those years, I wasn’t a mom. I took those kids under my wing and loved them like they were my own. During that time, I witnessed some things that I’ve been able to carry into parenting my own kids.

The biggest lesson I learned and still firmly believe in is that every child needs an extracurricular activity. It doesn’t matter if it’s school related or not, but they need to excel in something that is non-academic. Be it chess, soccer, band, or the science club … it doesn’t matter. But, the kids who are involved in an outside activity seemed to have a better sense of belonging. For kids at any age, that’s really important.

Along with that comes parent responsibility. I used to get so angry at Senior Recognition Night when parents would show up to bask in the limelight of their child. Yet, it was the first time I’d ever laid eyes on them!

You have a responsibility to your child. That doesn’t mean that you have to volunteer at the concession stand or be the president of the booster club, but it does mean that you have to attend performances, contests, and other “important to your child” events.

They may tell you that they don’t want you there, but trust me … attend anyway! You’ll be glad you did. There are some pretty fantastic kids out there doing some amazingly great things. Don’t let   your child miss out – and don’t you, as a mom/dad, miss a minute of it!