Sunday Newscape Magazine

Not to bring up old news to some of you, but if you recall a few months ago in my column I eulogized a dear friend who passed away. The hardest part was reading a letter at the service from my friend’s oldest daughter Amanda. This highly intelligent high school senior not only offered the most powerful set of words, but understood that the little things in life mean more than anything.

Her dad was her biggest cheerleader. Amanda’s grueling activity schedule did not deter her father from being involved whenever he could. He often took days off or drove hundreds of miles to attend events just to see her or his other children perform. Most notably, it is these events Amanda remembers the most.

I thought about her words as I pulled up to an event recently that two of my daughters were participating in. I knew this was a large event and made sure I had time to make the trip.

The day was perfect. As I arrived I could see hundreds of children wandering about. I arrived a little early, but to my surprise the parking lots were empty. As I pulled even closer I noticed the bleachers were empty as well. I thought perhaps I was a little too early, but as the hours gave way only a few people showed up. Too make matters worse, the few who did attend came in pairs with the majority sipping their coffees and reading their favorite novels.

It broke my heart to see this sea of children all proudly wearing their school colors and carrying banners with pride only to look up to virtually empty bleachers. Thank goodness for the volunteers who screamed as loud as they could for these kids. Their efforts to create such an event must have taken many hours to put together. They are the untold heroes who don’t look for recognition, but have a passion for children’s needs.

As the day wore into its third hour I thought about Amanda. The little things her father did by coming to these events helped shape her in so many ways. She knew that her biggest fan would always be there cheering her on. I believe this is one of the reasons why she is a high honor student and a model to her classmates.

Some would argue these events always occur during work hours and the time off would hurt the family economically. I consider that no excuse. The majority of these kids carry cell phones and parents could use that technology to offer support in so many ways. A simple text, e-mail, or phone call would inspire so many of these kids and not let them feel left out.

You may think they don’t feel your absence, but I guarantee they do. Kids see and feel everything their parents do and usually don’t say a word. I can speak from experience and regret on this issue. As a child I remember the only game my parents attended was the game I won for the team. It was their presence that made me try harder and I will never forget it.

As for Amanda, she is living proof of a child who is loved and supported to the highest degree by her parents. That is the way it should be. Most parents don’t realize this simple philosophy of raising children. They assume just because the child does not recognize their presence doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate it.

Amanda’s powerful words of wisdom changed my life. I hope you take the time to attend your child’s events whenever you can and not let a beautiful site go unnoticed.

© Jerry Maldonado-all rights reserved 2009     This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it