Culture is something good for you

Yesterday, I took my daughters to see The Nutcracker. They were overcome with gratitude and thanked me profusely by repeatedly asking what time it was, when the show would start, why we were there, why so many people were wearing red, why the program picture of the company seemed to be all shirtless headshots, why we were there, what time it was, when the show would start, and why we were there.

At long last, the show began, and my daughters sat in rapt attention, waving their arms, whispering, "What just happened?" and trying to read their programs in the dark.

Just before intermission, S. had to go to the bathroom. "I gotta pee!" she said, and so we made our way out. On the way to the bathroom, she asked me, "Mom, are those people doing this right now, or is it a movie?"

During intermission, my daughters quietly amused themselves by hitting each other with their programs so that the man in the row behind us felt compelled to step in and stop them. Then they resumed asking what time it was, when it would start, and what time was it again?

During Act II, my daughters asked me, "What was that dance for? I think it was for chocolate, right? What about that one? Is that one for strawberries? I think yes. I think it was for strawberries. Was it for strawberries? Is that why she's wearing red?"

Five minutes before the end of the show, S. went to the bathroom by herself. She returned to hear the applause marking the curtain calls. My daughters sat silently and motionlessly through the clapping. At the end of the applause, S. turned to me and said, "I can't believe they clapped that whole time."

I'm thinking this was a one-time thing, and not the start of an annual tradition.