Parent Problem with Band???...

Ok, I know most of you here are from high-flyng bands who win State/National Comps and represent the country to all over the world and have no problem getting support from family, friends, school etc. But not all bands have that privilege.

Some of us here are from bands who work just as hard, just as many hours, but no matter how much we put in, that 1st place is simply out of our grasp. There's always that one or two or three band(s) that monopoly the champion's trophy.

We prepare early. We beg for funds. We schedule many practices, day and night, skpping classes and missing out on family time. All to be let down once again. Our parents support us initially. But a parent can only take so much class-skipping and homework missing.

I don't know about the rest of you, but in my school, academics is top priority. What's important is how many straight A's you get for PMR, SPM and STPM, nothing else. Most parents and teachers do not take kindly to band members skipping class for the sake of practicing for a 12 minute performance.

I've had members who are forced to drop out of formation halfway because of pressure from parents. I've had members who break down because their parents call them ungrateful and say that their wasting their time at band practice. I've had members walk to school for pratice because their parents refused to send them. I even had a member who was always late, but that wasn't because he was lazy, it was because he had to wait till his parents were away at work so he could sneak out to attend practices.

The common reasoning here is: you practice so hard, under the hot sun, so many hours, skip so many important classes and tuition classes, and you didn't even win. What's the point? Practice so hard for what?

Every year, the leaders go through the same thing, having to call up member and ask why they were absent for so many practices. Our teachers-in-charge make 'special' phone calls to convince parents to let their kids stay on(esp the exam class students- Form 3,5 and 6).

Juggling studies and KK activities is good, but apparently not good enough for some parents. I have a member who does well in her studies(top 10 in the best class), but his parents aren't willing to take chances. So he might not be joining us for the State Competition next year. Simple as that.

It's a chicken-and-egg situation. Parents don't support because they think the outcome is not worth it, yet the band can't perform their best because their parents are not there to cheer them on.

I know winning isn't everything, but a morale booster for parents would be nice. Just to show them that all the hours spent under the sun was not in vain. We just want our parents to understand. Is that too much to ask for?

Other bands, what do you think of this situation? Do you face similar problems? How do you address it?

*Disclaimer: The facts in this post are NOT exaggerated. They are cold, hard facts, which probably top any President's 'Top 10 reasons why I can't sleep at night' list*