Some things about parenting are much more fun as kids get older. Concerts are one of them. They start to sound pretty good.

When the kids are tiny, it can be hard to sit through their performances, but with near-adult young people, performances can be an actual pleasure.

That was certainly the case for us last night when we went to hear our youngest sing. Both her choir and the other choirs were excellent. 

I think, with arts and crafts of all kinds, this is often the case. Early attempts can be rough and difficult to appreciate. For kids (and adults starting up a new skill), it’s important to encourage those early attempts. However, we may only truly be able to praise the effort and the idea, not the performance.

As people get more practice and more expertise, though, we can enjoy the end result as well. 

Which makes me think that in parenting, and in life, patience is key. The goal we’re aiming for might take years of hard work to achieve.