Mommy's Mistake and a Parade

As a mom, I am always reminding my kids that no one is perfect and that everyone makes mistakes. Well, one of mine as a mom is when I underestimate my kids and how much they are able to handle at their young age. This weekend was a perfect example. Yesterday was the Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown to celebrate Chinese New Year. My daughter's martial arts class participates every year and it seemed like such a fabulous idea when we signed up our Little Dragons (the four and five-year-old class). Besides, who doesn't love a parade? However, I began to get a little hesitant as the details of the parade emerged. We were supposed to be there 90 minutes prior to the start of the parade to "line-up." Good luck keeping six or eight little ones in a confined space for that long, right? Then, our little ones would be "parading" (is that official parade speak?) for another hour. And to top it all off, the forecast called for chance of showers. I worried that my little one might be done for the day before the parade even started. Or, that she would be "sooooo tired" halfway through the parade.

The morning of the parade did not start off too promising when we found out that the parade actually started an hour earlier than we had been told. Luckily, we had enough time (thanks to one of our fellow moms) to scramble and catch an earlier train. And, looking back, the chaotic morning was actually a blessing in disguise because it meant less waiting and by the time we got to Chinatown, most of the parade prep was done so there was so much for the kids to see!

The dragon at the front of the parade

The Little Dragons Marching

Doing their star blocks

When all was said and done, the kids did such a fabulous job! They marched and demonstrated their star blocks like true parade professionals! Myself and the other moms that marched along side the kids were exhausted by the end so I can only imagine how tired the kids were. But there was no whining or complaining from the little dragons the entire day...despite the fact that from beginning to end, it was a five-hour endeavor. I admit that I was wrong for being anxious or nervous about my daughter. She was a real trooper and was still all smiles when we got home. This was just another example of me underestimating my kids and how much they can rise to an occasion. And, as I always tell my kids, "the important thing is to learn from our mistakes."