An Open Letter To The Parents Of All Drum Corps Members
An Open Letter To The Parents Of All Drum Corps Members
An open letter to the parents of drum corps member across the country. It may be expensive, long, and stressful, but marching drum corps is one of the most amazing experiences your child will ever live through.
BY -- Krista Viveiros
Your child is about to embark on a journey. A three month long venture into the somewhat unknown. They don’t know what they’ve gotten themselves into, and you probably don’t either.
It’s easy to justify it in your brain as “just marching band” or “summer marching band” and to a certain extent, it is.
But at the same time, it’s so much more than that. It’s 18 hour days in the sun. It’s hunting for perfection. It’s having higher expectations for yourself and your peers every day. Then, learning to exceed those expectations.
On the outside, it’s easy to ask why. Why does my kid want to run around all summer and waste thousands of dollars on band? They sleep on gym floors, and we pay for that? Not really.
They’re paying to be a performer at one of the top levels in their discipline. They’re learning from some of the best in the field and gaining experiences that are irreplaceable elsewhere. And when young adults come together under this common grounds, we bond and become lifelong friends.
The type of friends that you could not see for years, and then instantly strike up a conversation with about “that one time..”.
Members of the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps rehearsing during Spring Training 2017
Now, the experience isn’t magical. They might call you on a precious moment off and say that they had a rough day. Maybe they miss you or that they want to quit. But don’t let these moments color the entire activity for you. It’s no different than having a rough day at soccer practice, school, or work. It’s a part of the experience.
Every member will eventually hit their "wall" and learning overcoming it is a huge but important obstacle. That’s not simply a drum corps lesson, but a life lesson too. One of the most valuable young adults will ever learn.
I know that it might be tough, especially if this is the first time your child has been away for an extended period of time. So when you’re dropping your kid off at the airport, or driving away from camp, remember this. At the end of the day your child will come home smiling. They’ll be the same kid you remember, maybe a little tanner, perhaps a little more in shape.
But they will be forever changed by this experience, even if they never do it again. Sometimes the lessons don’t hit right away, but they eventually manifest themselves into everyday life in ways you’d never expect.
They’ll be more committed to their work, expect more of themselves and others, gain more confidence, and know what it feels like to be a part of something so much larger than oneself. They will grow in so many ways that you can’t even measure, and that is the most beautiful part of all.
All we can ask of you is to be patient, supportive, and enjoy the show.
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Your child is about to embark on a journey. A three month long venture into the somewhat unknown. They don’t know what they’ve gotten themselves into, and you probably don’t either.
It’s easy to justify it in your brain as “just marching band” or “summer marching band” and to a certain extent, it is.
But at the same time, it’s so much more than that. It’s 18 hour days in the sun. It’s hunting for perfection. It’s having higher expectations for yourself and your peers every day. Then, learning to exceed those expectations.
On the outside, it’s easy to ask why. Why does my kid want to run around all summer and waste thousands of dollars on band? They sleep on gym floors, and we pay for that? Not really.
They’re paying to be a performer at one of the top levels in their discipline. They’re learning from some of the best in the field and gaining experiences that are irreplaceable elsewhere. And when young adults come together under this common grounds, we bond and become lifelong friends.
The type of friends that you could not see for years, and then instantly strike up a conversation with about “that one time..”.
Members of the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps rehearsing during Spring Training 2017
Now, the experience isn’t magical. They might call you on a precious moment off and say that they had a rough day. Maybe they miss you or that they want to quit. But don’t let these moments color the entire activity for you. It’s no different than having a rough day at soccer practice, school, or work. It’s a part of the experience.
Every member will eventually hit their "wall" and learning overcoming it is a huge but important obstacle. That’s not simply a drum corps lesson, but a life lesson too. One of the most valuable young adults will ever learn.
I know that it might be tough, especially if this is the first time your child has been away for an extended period of time. So when you’re dropping your kid off at the airport, or driving away from camp, remember this. At the end of the day your child will come home smiling. They’ll be the same kid you remember, maybe a little tanner, perhaps a little more in shape.
But they will be forever changed by this experience, even if they never do it again. Sometimes the lessons don’t hit right away, but they eventually manifest themselves into everyday life in ways you’d never expect.
They’ll be more committed to their work, expect more of themselves and others, gain more confidence, and know what it feels like to be a part of something so much larger than oneself. They will grow in so many ways that you can’t even measure, and that is the most beautiful part of all.
All we can ask of you is to be patient, supportive, and enjoy the show.
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