Yesterday was the last day of cheer camp for my daughter. The squad put on a performance for the parents at the end of the day. They did an awesome job. It’s amazing how far our seventh grade cheerleaders have come since they first started cheering – many of them have been cheering together since third grade, my daughter included.
At the end of the camp there was also an award ceremony. My daughter received an award for her leadership skills and overall cheer skills. Awesome! The award included a medal and a certificate. The award also includes a once in a lifetime opportunity.
The once in a lifetime opportunity is getting to perform with the group (everyone that received this award at cheer camp over the summer in the country) at a halftime show at a major football game in a completely different state. Sounds awesome, right? It is a week long event. The actual performance is on my daughter’s thirteenth birthday. She mentioned that would be an awesome birthday. Again, I completely agree.
So, what’s the issue? Money.
It is going to cost over two-thousand-dollars per performer. Depending on how many people stay in one room, the cost could be over three-thousand-dollars per non-performer. This includes a five day, four night stay in a hotel; five meals per person; a charter bus to all events and locations; a ticket to an amusement park; the performer gets a costume for the football game; a ticket to the football event; and various other items.
The money is a major issue. I sent my family a message yesterday; their response: “tell ex-husband.” That was it. Not, “oh how about this idea” or “we could donate five dollars.” So, obviously family is out of the question.
I contacted ex. He is still deployed. Surprisingly, he thinks it would be a great thing for our daughter to go. For the past thirty minutes we have been communicating via text on how could this work? How would she get there? How are we going to come up with the money?
Of course, ex automatically asked if instead of staying at the assigned hotel could they just stay on a military base (which would be cheaper), but if the company needs the girls at the hotel for practice you would think they need to be guests at that hotel. I don’t know. I’m just glad he did not automatically say “no.” There might be a chance my kid gets to have this awesome experience – and for it to be on her thirteenth birthday, wow that would be a birthday to remember.
Would I be okay with ex taking her and I not go (because seriously, for non-performers it is going to be over three-thousand dollars. That is not in my budget – unless I win the lottery or find a sugar daddy, gross)? I want her to go. At least if ex goes then I know she would be okay. I’m sure she would stay so busy with practices and assigned group activities that she would have fun. I figure parents are going to be stuck having to entertain themselves for the majority of the trip, which would work out better if I stayed home and continued to work (five days of no income and spending over three thousand dollars, yikes). I’m pretty sure I could get pictures and videos from all of the events and activities for the entire week from ex (and if any other cheerleaders from our area go).
I can handle being away from my daughter for a week, I think haha. I would know that she would be having this amazing adventure and I would get to hear all about it when she gets back home. However, missing her birthday? Could I forgive myself? Would she forgive me?
Life After Divorce 