My monkey's circus performance

On Wednesday Zack's kindergarten had their annual Circus Performance. His teacher assigned him the part of monkey, which I thought was totally appropriate and asked that we send him in a monkey costume, but that there would be a monkey mask provided for him. My mom and I spent some time making him a really cute costume out of brown sweats and some fur. We got a brown hat and sewed on some cute monkey ears made from the fur too. He was darling in it! So the day came, we invited the grandparents and a couple of uncles, and Steve planned to go into work late that day. The performance started and there he was in his cute costume and mask on (which happened to have ears attached to it). I assumed he was singing all along but it was hard to know since he had the mask on.

Then it was finally time for the monkey number, last but not least. All the monkeys trooped up to the front of the stage, all except for Zack. He stayed firmly planted in the rafters, despite the teacher aids attempts to get him to go up with the other monkeys. She finally gave up and left him there. (Did I state that he was the cutest monkey there? He was!) So, while the other monkeys performed, my monkey removed his mask and scowled at me throughout the number. There may have even been some foot stomping going on.

After the number was over Mrs Bailey, said a few words and then she said that she wanted Zack to come up and show off his cute costume that his grandma had made him. She had to literally carry him off the rafters and he was really shy but he stood there with her.

Then the program was over and all the proud parents greeted their happy children. Mine came running to me, jumped on my lap and burst into tears. I told him he was so brave for being in the program and singing the songs. He told me he didn't sing at all. He was too mad because he had to wear 4 ears! He was upset because he was wearing the hat with the ears and the mask also had ears! What a silly boy. I could tell his heart was a little broken because he just cried and cried. I tried to reassure him and told him that no one cared if he had four ears, he was still an awesome monkey. But more than the ear issue I know that it is really just him being so scared to be up there in front of everyone. These are the times that you realize how much you love your kids! My heart was broken for him.

I don't know what to do with him, whenever we have a primary program he won't even go up to the stage with out kicking and screaming and then he just stands up there and scowls at everyone. No singing. He won't participate in sharing time to give a talk or a prayer either. I am hoping he will just grow out of it and I am trying to be really nice about it so he is not traumatized for life. I have even tried bribery. I told him that if he would go up and sing in the primary program and say his part that I would buy him the Lego Deathstar. (It is $399.99!) He wasn't swayed much by my offer and then we ended up gong out of town anyway so we were both off the hook. If anyone has any advice of how I can help him get over this fear, I'm open!



There he is with his four ears (six if you count his own!)



If looks could kill! I think that kid just asked him why he wasn't up with the other monkey's!



Zack with his Uncle Jeff



He wasn't happy to be singled out but at least he stood there! Mrs Bailey was so nice to him, hugged him and loved him after the program.