Daddy's Little Idol, Stage Fright and All

If you've ever spent time around Zoë, it probably hasn't taken you long to realize how much she loves to sing. Sometimes, it seems like all she ever does. Oh, sure, she sings in the shower. But she also sings in her room. And outside when she's playing. And in the car. And in front of the TV. She'd kill me for divulging this, but she even sings when she's sitting on the toilet. Believe me, if she ever wins American Idol, as she says she'd like to do, I'll be one of those parents they interview who reminisces about how much their kid loved to sing as a child.

Zoë even sings at school, apparently, or at least talks about doing so. When she was Star of the Week earlier this month and her classmates—who'd only known her a few weeks, since she'd just switched classes and joined theirs—wrote fictional stories about her, many wrote about her being on stage, including that big one on TV that draws 30 million viewers each week. They discussed the songs she'd sing (particularly those of Taylor Swift, her current idol). And they envisioned her winning. She's read the stories, bound into book form, over and over since bringing them home.

Problem is, much as my girl likes to work her pipes, she clams up when a big opportunity to do so comes along. She'll sing for an audience in a safe setting like our next door neighbor's living room, where she loves to give their karaoke machine a workout. But when asked to sing in a formal setting, Zoë's confidence disappears. And so, in four school plays over the past two years, Zoë has shied away from roles that would require her to sing as anything but part of a chorus. Oddly, she's readily accepted speaking parts. But faced with an opportunity to strut her musical stuff, she's cowered away, only too happy to avoid the spotlight.

I've explained to Zoë that if she wants to sing, she needs to get over her fear and take a chance. I've also reminded her that she's frequently complimented on her voice and technique. Even her teachers have encouraged her to try higher-profile roles. But it's all fallen on deaf ears. Frustration over wanting to sing but being too scared to do so has brought Zoë to tears a few times. But it's still not been enough to make her throw caution to the wind.

Kelly and I have, of course, been proud of Zoë's performances no matter what. Just last week, she took part in her new class' production entitled Child of the World. Though she joined the class weeks after the other students had begun memorizing lines and lyrics—and how to "sing" the songs in American Sign Language, which was part of the play—Zoë was one of the first students to learn the entire script. Yet, when a student with a featured role moved just days before the performance and the teachers scrambled to cover her part, Zoë wanted nothing to do with it. But no matter. Zoë, positioned in the middle of the ensemble and looking far too grown up in a wardrobe of her own choosing, did a great job, and we loved every minute of it. You can witness a bit of the magic for yourself in the video clip below.

Frankly, I suspect if Zoë had the talent to be an Idol contestant, we'd be seeing hints of brilliance by now. But there's no way I'm going to discourage her. Determination and desire can do wonders, and there's plenty of "singers" making comfortable livings on marginal talent. So you can bet I'm going to encourage Zoë, to sit through her performances, and to listen to my little song bird when she's in her own world, singing for herself and the shower head.

And if she finds a way out of her shell? Look out, world. With this kid's passion, I can only dream of what she might accomplish. Whether that meant Idol contestant or soloist in a school play, I'd be proud either way—and reminding everyone within earshot that I was her number one fan "way back when." And I'd mean every word of it, too.

Note: To view the video below in higher quality, click the "HD" button in the bottom right corner. Then, if you wish to view the video in full-screen mode, click the screen icon just to the left of the arrow.

Let's go, G.N.O.

Truth be told, we had no business spending money on the tickets. But yesterday, Kelly and Zoë were on the road again, headed to San Jose for their second gymnastics-junkie outings in as many summers. Yep, it was another gymnastics...er, girls' night out.

Compared to the three-day 2007 US Nationals tournament they attended last August, yesterday's event—The 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars—was just a tad less formal. But according to Zoë, the chance to see gymnasts she's quickly come to idolize able to let their hair down while performing to choreographed musical numbers was still very exciting—and a lot of fun to boot.

It didn't hurt that Zoë was sitting on the floor, in the second row, just a few feet from the apparatus upon which the athletes were performing—even closer than the lower-section VIP seats she and Kelly had for the Nationals. Credit good luck and timing for that, as I'd been fortunate enough to be sitting at my computer in July when notification of ticket pre-sales had arrived in my e-mail.

Nor was Zoë going to complain that the organizers of the event had wisely teamed up with Radio Disney to cross-promote a new CD titled "Girlz Rock 2," featuring every last one of Zoë’s favorite female artists. To do so, they'd brought along hot new girl band K.S.M. and singer Jordan Pruitt to perform live on stage, also just a few feet from where Zoë was sitting.

So, for two hours, the Hamilton girls were treated to a flashy, fast-paced and sometimes comical show by reigning gymnastics royalty and Beijing Olympians, including All-Around Gold Medalist Nastia Liukin, All-Around Silver Medalist Shawn Johnson, Team Silver Medalist Chellsie Memmel, and US men’s Bronze-medal-winning team members Jonathan Horton, Kevin Tan, Joe Hagerty and Justin Spring. Former Olympic medalists Paul Hamm, Morgan Hamm, Shannon Miller and Blaine Wilson also took part.

Never mind that Zoë’s favorite part of the show involved gymnasts dressed up like The Jonas Brothers and their girlfriends and groupies. On a Sunday night, after driving all day to get there, I was relieved to hear that the show was lighthearted and kid-friendly, if not Gymnastics with a capital "G." From Zoë and Kelly's descriptions, it sounded like the gymnastics equivalent of "Stars on Ice," with a pop-rock soundtrack for good measure. That’s smart marketing, perfect for the tween audience, and perfect for a tired girl who unabashedly laps up Hannah Montana-style glitz.

Though Zoë was disappointed when Kelly refused to wait in the several-hundred-person-long line waiting for autographs from Jordan Pruitt, more concerned about the four-hour drive that awaited them on a school night, the trip home went far smoother than we'd hoped. Zoë dozed for a bit before waking at a gas stop, and then helped Kelly stay awake so that they arrived home, safely and in good spirits, just before midnight.

I’m sure that to some degree, Zoë’s getting spoiled by getting to see her high-flying heroes so often and so close—in last night’s case, close enough that the ushers warned Zoë and Kelly not to stand up during the performance. But in an era of lightning-speed childhoods and hard-to-find heroes—think Barry Bonds and how Zach’s idealism was crushed after years of idolizing him—gymnastics manages to a large part to remain wholesome and innocent. Just look at Shawn Johnson. What better role model could we hope for Zoë to have?

I know Kelly won’t argue. And, I'm betting she won't complain when the next opportunity arises for a G.N.O.—regardless of whether it's "Girls'," "Gymnastics," or both.