I still feel regret about that, until now.
Last year, Helena won poetry contest (in english) at her school (TK) as the first rank.
It was on Kartini day, April 21st.
At that time, I only dressed her with ulos batak as her skirt and her selendang, with white plain shirt inside.
This year, I only put that ulos as her selendang, and she’s as a contestant for storytelling (in English).
Last year, when she won the contest, I didn’t even see her, because I was at work and I didn’t know that the parents were allowed inside to watch them.
This year, I took half day leave to watch her contest.
We were too confident at this contest, maybe.
Since last year Helena easily won that poetry contest, and this storytelling script was perfectly practiced at home, I (myself) was so optimistic that Helena will win this contest again, well… at least at big three.
And when I arrived at her school, I met the principal of her school and she asked why I didn’t dress Helena with traditional clothes. I said, ulos is a traditional clothe, right? She was just smile away misteriously.
And when the contest begun, Helena was perfectly did the storytelling, even the mom beside me admitted that she’s great and good self confidant, and asked what kind of course I gave to Helena that made her so confidant, not like this mom’s kid, that was so passive. I said, only vocal course, nothing else.
And when the winner was calling to come up, we’re so (I mean, me) deg-degan, and after the 2nd winner came up to the stage, I still hope that helena would be number one. But what come out to my surprise was, Helena didn’t win at all, not even the 6th place!
I was so surprised, and upset, and .. OMG, didn’t know what to say. Helena also cried. When she asked me, “So I’m not the winner, Mom?”, I felt so sad and said no.
“Its OK, other people deserve to win, you were there once, now their turn, its OK,” I said to her.
And knowing who’s the winner at the 4th place, which is helena’s friend with her bad English pronunciation, made me even upset. What’s wrong with Helena, he’s so smooth in her English and story, expression and motion, and even audience’s applause was so loud.
Soon I sent sms to my hubby to inform that Helena was failed. He said that’s OK for Helena to experience failure sometimes to make her stronger.
And when Helena asked me again, “Why I didn’t win the contest, Mom?”
I cant answer. She was perfect. I didn’t know the answer. The upset filled me up like even could burn me inside.
Next day, Helena asked directly to her teacher (FYI, the judges was not their teacher, but from elementary teacher) why she was failed.
And the answer is…, because Helena didn’t wear traditional clothes!!!!!
Helena said, she wore ulos batak, and her teacher said, Helena also wore modern dress inside, that was banned!
The contest condition is first has to wear that traditional clothes, and second is the storytelling itself!
No wonder Helena’s friend which obviously couldn’t spell her English well won the 4th grade!
If I was told that condition, I would have dressed my daughter with the most beautiful traditional bali girl performance, oouughhhhkkkk!!!!
And what kill me so bad is to realize that it’ll be the last chance for her to participate such contest because she will be on elementary school next year!!!
Ough, I feel so regret! That was my fault. It was my missing! I was the one to blame.
I didn’t take care of my kid clothes so she failed. What kind of mom am I ? I feel like I could kill myself to know the condition!
I am the one who make my kid failed, and the regret feeling is still killing me until now.
Forgive me, kid, I never mean to missed that thing.
So, that was not merely storytelling contest then, it was traditional wear contest which combined with storytelling!!!!
Well actually I also didnt participate my kid on fashion show contest (there's also such contest there) since i prefer her to participate in storytelling, you know, I prefer contest for brain than appearance even though I believe I could make over my kid best, hehehe.
Still,...
Oughhhhkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!
What a stupid misscommunication!