Sorry Prom, But I Have Priorities.

When my daughter came home from the night of the first jazz festival where she won for outstanding musician she mentioned to me that there are two more festivals left to attend where she has to play again. One of those nights coincide with her junior prom.



Before she made her final decision about prom she asked her teacher if there was any way in which he could change the dates. Mr. T said there is no way that he could change the dates at the last minute. They are scheduled to perform on the 23rd, and that was official.

Well, after some praying and pondering it didn't take her that long to choose. Encouraging words from her band teacher, (and her dad & I) helped her in making the right decision on her own. We both told her that it's a choice she has to make, and she is the only one who can make it. If her friends get upset because she's not going well then I told her that they are not great friends. She realized that her priority is school, and because she has a LOVE for music and playing the piano...her choice was in attending the jazz festival and to forego prom this year.

I took this picture of her calendar and I noticed she scratched off Prom and left Jazz festival open. There is no 'sad face' icon next to the word prom which means she's not bummed because she's not going. She's not moping around the house, throwing me attitude, or saying things like, "stupid jazz festival". Oh no...she's not saying anything like that. She's happy with the decision she made, and feels less stressed about worrying about everything else on her plate such as preparing for her drama production, "Rent" (which open's tonight) in which she's part of the stage crew, among other things called "life as a teen living in Jersey going to Highland. She has been coming home at 10pm every night for the past week and a half, and the last thing she wanted to worry about was her jr. prom. She was going stag anyway so she is not in the least bit disappointed for not going.

And I'll tell you something else...she was relieved.

There other students who are in the same predicament as Sierra who are in the jazz band as well, who want to go to the prom. Not sure what their choice will be as far as going to prom, or playing together as a band, but I am happy that Sierra made a wise choice on her own in not letting her teacher down. There is only one other girl who plays the piano, and I don't think Sierra would want to put that pressure on her in learning that piece of music at the last minute. I am super pleased that she has her priorities in order, and that she is fulfilling her commitment in being one of the pianists for the jazz band.

Luckily I didn't buy any of these dresses that I found online, or spend 60 bucks on a ticket. Church prom is free, and since the theme for the church prom will be, "A Night in Paris"...she'll be wearing something "parisian".

She plans on attending her senior prom next year which falls in May, and who knows what these next two jazz competitions will bring for her. Maybe she'll get another one of these plaques along with another mini scholarship.

She certainly deserves it because she is a hard working pianist who strives hard in making the right choices, and she is such a great kid.

It's times like these where decisions can be tough for a teenager. Especially when it comes to your academics. Making good choices can be pretty tough, but at the end of the day what's most important is making the right one.

I believe she did, and so does she.