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<p>Connections we sound like the same person…LOL. DS1 went to college straight after HS as music major. Dropped out after a year and now at the age of 24 is 2nd yr at local comm college for accounting! DS2 freshman at awesome music school on free tuition scholarship. Now DS3 (a HS junior) is seriously considering music. I’m not sure I can do the whole audition nightmare a third time! I’m hoping my one daughter will not take this route but she is as talented if not more so than her brothers. What did I do to deserve this?</p>
<p>This is easily my favorite CC thread. What great parents! Much-needed humor during a trying time.</p>
<p>NYsaxmom - I’m pretty sure it’s something in the water…</p>
<p>S went the classical music route 4 years ago (just finished paying for and recovering from that round of auditions) now we are doing it all again with our MT D.</p>
<p>How 2 lawyers got 2 artists is a mystery, now H is figuring out how to subdivide the basement so they will both have a place to live if they can’t find jobs in their chosen fields LOL (JK kinda)</p>
<p>Last year they asked S to tell a joke. So that’s still a thing. They also kidded with him that “What was there left for him to play?” when they saw on his resume he’d played Marius, Ren and Gabe.</p>
<p>After 3 on campus auditions I can now answer my own question. Parents mostly wait around and wait and hope there are nice people around to talk to as they wait. Learned a valuable lesson today, pack an extra bag of clothes (if you don’t have youg luggage with you) JUST IN CASE. S’s friend from VA actually forget her MUSIC, she almost passed out. Somehow her aunt was able to scan it in and they were able to print it off after 11PM, dad ran to find a binder. Make a list and check it twice as you load the car.</p>
<p>I have all music, resume, headshot, anything I could think of that I might forget, or need to reproduce, in a Dropbox folder so I can access it from anywhere. (This would not have helped me in your son’s situation today, though!)</p>
<p>kategrizz LOL nope nothing in that Dropbox folder for him. We are normally so overly prepared, the toilet scenario was one I didn’t even anticipate and I thought I anticipated everything!</p>
<p>But what a great audition story to tell for all eternity! I’m sure it wasn’t funny at the exact moment - but it will get funnier the further removed you are from it!</p>
<p>What??? His book “disappeared” ? I know I am very late to the party. I have been pretty much just reading a bunch of different posts learning as much as I can. My D will be entering high school as a junior so we are pretty much just getting started. We visited one school so far and I have every intention on talking to Moo at a seminar that will be taking place during my D’s summer intensive. We have discussed some schools and are going back and forth between BA and BFA programs. I think she’ll ultimately apply to a mix of the two. But I am so grateful for these forums. My stress is only just beginning. 
I couldn’t imagine leaving my D alone at Unifieds either. I’m always bag lady, problem solver and confidant at other auditions. Plus I would probably be absolutely racked with worry if I wasn’t there to make sure she had everything.</p>
<p>I completely agree @mtjones1, could never send D to Unifieds with someone else. We are a well-oiled machine at this point :)</p>
<p>You do what you need to do. Son went with his Dad to Chicago Unifieds because I had contract obligations. His dad knew next to nothing and was a nervous wreck prior to the trip. They both rose to the occasion, in fact, I think not having me around helped son to step it up a notch. They had a wonderful time!</p>
<p>It is also one more chance to travel with your kid before they grow up and leave home. </p>
<p>D’s best friend had to go to CMU with dad b/c mom had unbreakable work thing… dad was a COMPLETE novice, and the trip became a comedy of errors. They laugh now (after all CMU is such a lottery thing anyway) but the texts coming to D that weekend were ANYTHING but amused! That is of course NOT to say that Dads can’t do the audition thing- clearly many do. But from what I have seen, one parent tends to be the “point person” on handling the process. Agreed?</p>
<p>For us yes, agreed!</p>
<p>Point person here! In fact, at one point I showed son and husband how to find all pertinent information on my laptop telling them, In case something happens to me…<br>
I also packed the essentials and put them through the paces before they went :)</p>
<p>As parents at auditions - some just me, one just w/dad, some w/both - our job was mainly to stay in one place as kind of a touchstone. Whether the audition day was a few hours, or most of the day, we were the “home base” S could come back to and know we had his stuff - music, water bottle, $ for food, change of clothes, etc. At the one school parents were told NOT to accompany kids to audition building - UMich - we obeyed and S’s coat was stolen from the audition hallway (January in Michigan w/o a coat??). We know some other auditionees that did it w/o parents present, but I think having an “adult” to run interference, know where they were going - even if it meant stopping “strangers” in hallways/streets to ask directions - was what the true value of our presence was worth. S knew he could be his scatter-brained self and we would make sure he got where he needed to be, on time, with all the “stuff” he needed to have. Or at least take the “blame” if something got screwed up. What did we as parents get out of hanging around near the audition sites? Lots of terrific conversations - whether participated in, or overheard - sharing information and experiences. The comraderee that can only be shared by those who are in the same “trenches”. I always had a book or iPad with me, but rarely got them out b/c there was so much to be learned from the folks sitting next to me.</p>
<p>One of the sweetest moments S and I shared was at CCM. He was very nervous, firs time I saw him nervous in a very long time. Some parents were in a holding room some were out in the halls… I helped S with his tie and shirt and walked wit him to the audition door. Then I walked down the hall a bit to wait for him to come out. Right before they took him in he turned to look for me. I was glad I was I there for him to see me, I gave him a thumbs up and mouthed “you got this” He smiled and gave me a thumbs up. I think that moment will stick with me awhile. </p>
<p>When my son was in auditioning for Syracuse, I was downstairs one flight, thinking about him, hoping things would go well, trying not to freak out, and I suddenly had this wash of positive feeling, a very “everything will be all right” kind of thing. A minute later, he came out and we went out to have lunch, and, as it happened, months later, everything did turn out all right. (Not with Syracuse, but in general.) So I’m wishing you all a little bit of that calmness and positivity, wherever it came from and whatever it meant. </p>
<p>I love these stories. It’s important to remember that in almost all cases, our kids are so grateful for whatever we have done to help them prepare and audition. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, nerves and tension don’t allow them to express their gratitude. Just remember, especially during the tough moments, months from now they will be grateful for all you did to help them pursue their dreams. Forgive them for cross words in tense moments. And look forward to the tears of joy when they finally choose their college home. It is all worth it!</p>
<p>^ ^ yes @vvnstar. “Forgive them for cross words in tense moments.” ;)</p>