Smoochie--Prima Ballerina

Today Honeybunches' dance class started back up again after the Christmas Break. After I finished giving a piano lesson, I told all 3 of the kids to hurry and go get ready. Honey quickly came back wearing her leotard and was ready to go. Bobo (shock-shock) had no desire to quit playing toys and go to dance class, and he needed some additional "motherly encouragement" to get going. As I was dealing with this situation, Smoochie came around the corner. She was decked out in her hand-me-down leotard. She had tights on (sort of) and shoes. Boy was she ever ready to go! Since she loves to watch the girls in the class dance and I was impressed with the initiative she took to get ready, I didn't tell her to change back into her regular clothes.

We all usually follow Honey to her class and watch and wait for her outside the classroom door. This time, Smoochie followed Honey right into the classroom and put her shoes in the corner like all the rest of the girls. When Honey tried to send her back out to me, Smoochie had a melt-down. This was not the screaming-tantrum kind, but the pathetic-pitiful-sobs-full-of-mournful- disappointment melt-down. She was being denied her chance to dance! Honey's teacher who is an angel, came to Smoochie's rescue and graciously invited her to stay. Let me just say the turn-around was instantaneous and the excitement in my Smoochie's face was heavenly.

Smoochie danced and danced. She sat in the circle with the big girls and waited in line for her chance to run-run-leap. She stretched on the floor with her legs out just like the older girls (although she was facing the wrong way) and attempted back bends with Honey--who in true big sister fashion--kept her on track and in the right place.

It was absolutely the very cutest thing I have seen in a while. I happen to have my camera with me, but it ironically wasn't charged. So the blury pics are from my phone.

The lesson I learned today is that sometimes Mom and Dad make the decision about when the kids are ready/mature enough to start extra activities like dance or soccer and then there are just times when the kids are more than capable of making that decision for themselves. Needless to say, Smoochie will be attending the preschool dance class next week!