Ballet

When Elaina (6) began classic ballet when she was 3, and spent most of the class rolling around on the floor, I thought, "hmm, maybe this isn't her thing." But she said she liked going, so I kept taking her. Today, when I see her stand in the correct positions, curve her arm the right way, and count as she does her stretches, I am so proud of her (and me) for keeping her dancing! She may not dance forever, and she isn't the most graceful in the class, but for right now it is so great to see her feel good about herself. (Also, it is adorable to see her in those tights!) To see her look of concentration on her face as she tries to follow the teacher's instructions. To see her giggling with her dance friends. And to hear her say, "stretching is hard!" and still want to go back to do it again next week. There are so many influences on girls today even at her young age of 6 yrs old that are coming at her. I hear little girls talking like teenagers, or trying to. I hear them talking about their BFF's and Hanna Montana. I cringe when my own daughter tries a bit failingly to talk this way herself. She is actually such a naïve and "little girl" little girl. She likes playing baby dolls and veterinarian, and ballerina. But I know she feels the pull already to be like the big girls and watch big kid tv etc. I LOVE when instead I hear her say she wants to watch the big girls dance at dance school. Or when she looks adoringly at her dance instructor's helper who is about 12 yrs old. These influences are ones I want her to keep her eye on. So, when I see her trying but failing a bit at keeping up with the dance steps or when I think about the fact that she is going to be about 6 feet tall and perhaps not the perfect form for a ballerina, I think, all the more reason for her to stay with it. In ballet no one kicks you out or laughs at you if you don't know any Hanna Montana songs, if you rather play baby dolls than pretend you are a teen. And they let you dress up like a ballerina and twirl around! Just what 6 year olds are supposed to do! So, her idol may not be Angelina Ballerina forever. But if I can direct her attention to soccer player, Mia Hamm, or volleyball player, Logan Tom or pianist Olga Kern instead of Paris Hilton or Britney Spears, I think she will be just fine! also I don't want to forget: -after having a blow-up with my son, Jack (9), we had a nice talk before bed about helping each other out. I'm really hoping that it sticks. -Charlie waved goodbye to daddy for about 15 minutes as he left for an out of town trip, saying, "bye daddy, bye daddy, bye daddy!" I didn't want to tear him away from the window, he was so sweet.