My son's teacher informed me that he would be representing his school in the Draw and Tell contest at the Children's Congress held in our area on November 22, 2024.
The teacher sent me my son's introduction speech and the story behind his drawing a week before the event.
I asked the teacher if I could translate the speech into English so that it would be easier for my son to memorize. I tried to teach him the speech and the story behind his drawing in our Bisaya dialect, but it was difficult for him because his first language was English.
The teacher approved my request to teach my son the speech myself. However, my son struggled to follow my instructions. Since he uses a computer daily at my workplace, I decided to record a video of myself delivering the speech. This way, he could watch and listen to it repeatedly.
My son was sick with an asthma attack and fever a few days before his speech. I informed his teacher of his health condition and that I would be unable to help him practice due to his illness.
The day before the event, his fever had subsided, and we went to the Gymnasium on the day of the event.
Around 8 a.m., the event commenced with a brief parade featuring all the Daycare students and teachers.
The program commenced around 8:30 AM with an opening prayer, followed by the singing of the National, Provincial, and Local hymns.
The duet singing contest and draw and tell both began around 9 am.
I was anxious because it was my son's first time participating in an event like this. I didn't think he could complete his drawing, but fortunately, he did. Following the duet singing contest, the draw-and-tell participants went on stage to share the stories behind their artwork.
My son, who was number 14, was very bored while waiting for his turn to share the stories behind his artwork.
He forgot the rest of his speech after the introduction when it was his turn to share the stories behind his artwork, so he simply thanked the audience and concluded his presentation.
I didn't feel any pressure because many students, including my son, didn't finish their speeches, forgot their speeches, or didn't speak at all.
The kids with their teachers
The selected daycare teachers performed a dance presentation after all the students had delivered their speeches.
My son eating his snacks. A burger and a Yakult
I was so hungry that I didn't wait for the announcement of the winners. It was already past 11 AM, and I was fasting intermittently, with my first meal at 11 AM. To make matters worse, I forgot to bring coffee or water.
The teacher agreed to my request to leave early. She also offered to obtain the consultation price for my son and send it to my workplace.
After a few minutes, the teacher stopped by my workplace and gave my son a small envelope. It contained money, which was the consultation fee for my son
My son eagerly opened the envelope and pulled out the 200 pesos he had earned.
Final thoughts
Despite my busy schedule as a working mom, my son was able to participate in a speech contest. I am proud of his effort and dedication, even though he didn't win. I will always support him in his future endeavors.
Thank you for taking the time to read my motherhood article. I sincerely hope that you found it engaging and insightful. May divine blessings be bestowed upon us all as we continue our journeys.
All photos used in this article are mine © unless otherwise stated. Please do not copy them without my permission. Published: 12/22/2024 02:57 pm (GMT)