Growing like a weed and 'Rapping' up some candy

I made the mistake of getting excited about putting together a costume for Declan's first grade music program this week. To be more specific, my mistake really pertained more to underestimating Declan's resistance to my costume ideas.

Declan was one of many weeds in a "How does your garden grow?" performance, which of course was a joy to watch, regardless of our pre-stage drama.

The "weeds" were also dressed as rappers, with instructions asking for sunglasses, hats on backwards and plenty of "bling."

When I saw the word bling images from my High School days flashed before my eyes. I remembered MTV and VH-1 videos of rappers covered in gold necklaces and sporting wall clocks around their neck.

It was the wall clock memory that got me. I envisioned Declan as the only weed on stage sporting bling that could also tell time, what a glorious scene it would be.

I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for that pesky kid.

"I'm not wearing the clock, everyone will laugh!" he argued, shortly after we purchased just the right sized wall clock.

"Declan, you already agreed. If you don't wear it, you don't get to hang it in your room after the play," I replied.

For some odd reason, Declan really wanted another clock on his bedroom wall because he was unwilling to give it up and responded, "Fine, but I don't like it when everyone laughs at me!"

"That's the point though, its supposed to be funny," I encouraged.

"It's not funny, I'm supposed to be a rapper. Rappers don't wear clocks, no one else will have one," said Declan.

"Yes they do. They wear clocks and gold necklaces and they say, 'Yo, yo, yo!'" I replied, while flashing my best rap-star hand gestures.

Declan responded by giving me the "You're embarrassing both of us" look.

"Declan, do you even know what a rapper is?" I questioned.

Steam shot out his ears and he slammed his clenched fists to his side, "Yes I know what a rapper is! Like on the candy bars!" he yelled back at me in defiance.

It was really hard not to laugh at him in response, especially given his anger, but I used my kid gloves and enlisted the help of the Internet to differentiate between rappers and wrappers.

He reluctantly agreed to wear the clock, for the third time.

Thursday evening I sat in the audience and eagerly awaited my little time bearing rap-master to come out on stage with his classmates. Eventually he did, baseball cap on backwards, wearing his coolest sunglasses and sporting the biggest ear-to-ear grin I had seen on him in a while. He had conveniently left his clock-necklace on his desk, before coming out on stage.

Of course, the musical was still a blast, enjoyed equally by the kids performing and the parents in attendance.

As I watched Declan frolic throughout the performance, it occurred to me how silly it was for me to think that my first grader would want to stand out, when all any of us really want to do is blend in.