Like lambs to slaughter?

I'm trying to get motivated to wake my children up for Sunday School. But knowing the hour at church will be spent practicing for a Christmas program that I'm quickly losing interest in, has me less than excited.

AJ has the highly challenging role of "Sheep #8."

In this part, he has one solo line: "Check"

He also has to repeat "Check" six other times, in unison with the rest of the sheep. Not to be confused with the one time when he and the sheep and shepherds are supposed to yell in unison, "AAHH!!"

I'm sensing a train wreck.

I wasn't asked to be involved in the Christmas program this year. And I'm okay with that. Perhaps my honesty was a little too harsh for some people last year. I'm happy they've moved practices to the Sunday School hour, rather than expecting families to give up three Saturday mornings in a row during this busy season. But then they moved the program to a Sunday night, rather than mid-week as was done last year, and suddenly it conflicts with holiday gatherings and hockey practice.

Added to that, the show's storyline is much more of a play, rather than a traditional Christmas program, meaning it's more of a dialogue than a series of children each saying a "piece." Considering that only two kids (AJ being one of them) even put in the effort to memorize their lines, and all depended on cue cards to know when to say them, I think I'm glad to not be a part of it.

In the meantime, I need to get myself and the kids ready for practice #2.

Who's going to put on a happy face so as not to influence her son's thoughts on the Christmas program? Check!