As parents, we all want to be there to see our children perform in school plays or music recitals, as we know how important it is for our little ones to know we support their creative pursuits.
However, one mum has split opinions online after she went to see a play her 12-year-old daughter was in and decided to take her six-month-old baby with her.
The mum insisted her baby slept soundly throughout most of the first half, but began stirring toward the end and eventually started crying - which received "dirty looks" from other parents who were trying to enjoy the show.
In a post on Reddit, she said: "I have two children with my ex-husband Will, Penelope (12) and Jonny (10). A few years ago, I remarried Chris. We have a 6-month-old baby girl together, Lyla. Penelope and Jonny live primarily with their father as he's closer to their school. They come to us on the weekends.
"Penelope is in the theatre program at her school. I missed the autumn shows because I was in labour and then had a newborn. Penelope understood as best a preteen girl can.
"Her spring show opened last week. Chris and Lyla came with me. Will, Jonny and Will's wife Ariana were already there. Will saw I brought Lyla and got a weird look about him, but Ariana hushed him and said 'just let it go'.
"Lyla slept through the first half. A little before intermission, she awoke and was fussy. I began rocking her and trying to calm her while also watching the play. I got a few dirty looks from the parents around me. I gave them a 'what can you do' shrug, as it's a baby.
"At intermission, Will suggested Chris take Lyla home. I said she should sleep during the second half and Chris said he wanted to watch the performance. Will started getting upset but again, Ariana had him walk away."
During the second half of the show, the baby began to cry again and the mum eventually agreed to take her outside at the exact moment her daughter was due to perform her solo - meaning the mum missed it.
She added: "Lyla did fall asleep again, but halfway through Act II, she woke up and started screaming. It was loud enough this time that it did catch the performers off guard. I quickly went into the lobby with Lyla. When I tried to go back in once she calmed down, the usher wouldn't let me, saying once a person leaves, they're not allowed in to prevent interruptions. Meaning, I missed Penelope's solo.
"Penelope refused to see me after the show nor accept the flowers we bought for her. I watched her leave with Ariana, who was consoling her. Will met me in the car park. He was pissed. He said I never should've brought Lyla, pointing out he and Ariana got a sitter for their young child. I said I didn't want to leave Lyla and felt it was good we all supported her.
"After missing the fall show, I wanted to be there for my daughter. I added it was just a middle school performance, it isn't the end of the world. He gave me a disgusted look and walks away. Penelope hasn't answered my calls or text. This weekend, she refused to come over."
Commenters on the post were largely on Penelope's side, as many said she likely didn't feel "supported" because her mum missed the most important part of her show.
One person said: "You are Penelope's mother and should do whatever you can to appropriately support her. Such as having the foresight to get a babysitter, or having your husband take charge of the screaming baby.
"It's just awful that you've dismissed something so clearly important to Penelope as 'just a middle school performance'. At 12, a solo performance is likely one of the biggest moments of her life so far, and you ruined it."
While another added: "This was a performance and not an appropriate place to bring a baby. You disrupted the event for everyone else in the audience, and still managed to let your daughter down."
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