will suffer for ca$h. no, not really...

My 15 yr old son received an award today. Two awards to be precise, but the second one is the one that caused such hilarity for me. 

He made the honour roll last year (but the awards ceremony was today), and since he was in the first group up to the stage, and his name is near the beginning of the alphabet he was the fifth kid (of about 400... million) across the stage to receive this first award. I dutifully video recorded it since my husband couldn't be there, turned the camcorder off and sat there thinking now what? 

I seriously contemplated sneaking out. My kid's done, all I was doing was sitting and clapping. But, I was good... I thought about how the other parents would feel, me bothering them to excuse myself exiting the row. It was one hour out of my life; surely I could sit and enjoy the celebratory vibe in the auditorium.

An hour later, we're nearing the end as it's the last of the special awards  phew  and I'm mentally already out of the school when they announce my son's name again. For a split second I process it as "huh, they just called someone who has the same name..." before I realize that he's won another award! Surprise!

I scramble to get the camcorder turned on and barely manage to capture him receiving this unexpected extra award. For 'achieving academic success while handling challenges'. (?)

Afterwards, in the lobby:

"Wow! Congratulations... did you know you were getting that one?"
"No..."
"Huh... what did you get it for?"
"I have no idea...!"

We both burst out laughing.

He has had some anxiety issues in the past, but they were very much under control last year. I leave the school grinning, mentally shaking my head. Definitely not a helicopter mom, I think.

When he gets home from school he tells me that another student told him that this award usually comes with money. He looks in the envelope that came with the plaque and sure enough there's a cheque for $200!

When I texted my sister the news she responded:

Suweeet! People who overcome challenges deserve cold, hard cash.