Missing Your Child's Events

My son was in his school's talent show today. He's doing a rap with other members of the environmental group he is in. It's a rap about recycling. My shy little boy was going to do something that he's always been to shy to do before - perform in front of his entire school when he's always been to shy to perform in front of even his family. I didn't want to miss that. I wanted to be front and center with my video camera.

The school didn't send any notices home to the parents about attendance. My older daughter said that parents didn't attend this last year. It's just for the students. That stinks.

I went to the school this morning anyway to drop my kids off. Normally, they take the bus but we had two dozen cookies and two dozen cupcakes to drop off. I brought my camera just in case, lol. I didn't see any parents around for the talent show. *sigh*

I couldn't embarrass him and be the only "mom" there. He's embarrassed enough about mom that I can't even get a high five from him when I drop him at his classroom. Mom there with a camera in front of all his friends would totally embarrass him. So, I took my camera and went home. Not happily, but I did.

Now if my kids come home from school later and tell me there WERE parents there, I will get doubly upset.

When little boys pull away from showing affection to mom in front of outsiders, do they ever come back to mom or should I just plan on the next ten years of my son distancing himself from me in front of other people and just enjoy the hugs and kisses I get from him at home?