Wednesday, June 17, 2009

To Dance or Not to Dance...that is the ultimate question

So i signed Cambree up for a months worth of dance classes that started this past Monday. She has taken dance before which was a mom and tot class, and loved it and has talked about it since then so I was anxious to get her involved in dance again. This week is college week for kids and she's in a group of probably 15 3-5 year olds. On Monday, we were signing her up for class and found out it started that day so we were unprepared but stayed anyways. Well she jumped right in with her class. She was excited, enjoying it and so since I was not prepared, I needed to run home to get at least a diaper and drink for Ridge. I left and when I came back, she had been in the hall with the director screaming her head off. I couldn't believe it. She usually handles herself very well without me. So I took her to finish her class and ensured her I was there to stay. 


Well Tuesday came and she was talking about it and excited to go. We got her special dancing shoes and outfit to make her extra excited. Before class she is running everywhere. She is playing with the other girls and really enjoying herself. Class starts, and she freaks out. She insists on just watching. So I coax her finally to go into class if I sit in the corner of the room she is in and watch her. She cries for awhile and then eventually started doing some of the moves next to me instead of with the group. I was frustrated, but at least she was doing it. By the middle/end of the class, she was better. 

Then there's today. I spoke with her for awhile before getting to the class that we aren't going to cry and we are going to have fun. She agreed with me and was telling everyone that she was going to dance class and again acted like she might actually participate and enjoy the class. Again she runs around the dance room playing and laughing with the other girls. Then her teachers walk in the room. This time, it was like a someone had just beat her. She was screaming and thrashing her body everywhere. I was in shock and not sure what to do. I had told her before class that if she was good, we would go to the pool with her cousin. Well I tried to tell her that we wouldn't be going to the pool if she didn't stop. She didn't care. She just wanted to leave. Nothing I said, would make her stop. I gave up and left. She was completely disrupting the class and I was sick of her not listening. The entire way home she kept saying I don't want to go to dance I don't want to go to dance. I don't know if I have ever been so frustrated with her in my life. I had so many emotions building up in me. Sounds silly I am sure, over such a stupid thing, but it really bugged me. Now I am left to try to figure out what to do. She enjoys dance, but there is something bugging her enough that she is scared when it actually comes down to it. My mom thinks its because I left her on Monday that I may have screwed it up and now she thinks I am going to leave her. I don't know. She has a fairytale dance group next week and I would like to hope she would enjoy it but I don't know. Does anyone have any ideas at all on how to fix this? My mom is right that I shouldn't punish her for not doing it, but that is the first and only thing I can think of when she doesn't want to dance.  

AAaahhh!!! It's just been a very frustrating day. To make matters worse, I left a swim diaper on Ridge for naps on accident (since we really didn't go to the pool), and when he woke up 3 hours later, it was just a puddle in his diaper and it POURED out ALL OVER the house and made a HUGE mark on our couch. Then a huge thing of yogurt fell off a shelf in our fridge and splattered EVERYWHERE on the floor, in the fridge, counters, and all over me. I have just had a day. I am so overwhelmed right now. So any words of advice would be great!!!! Thanks


5 comments:

Jenifer said...

Chantel, I am so glad to know that I'm not the only one who has these kind of days. whew! Just remember "This too shall pass".

Unknown said...

I think Kim is right, when you left on Monday she freaked out and has associated that with dance class. She thought dance class was something she did with you. That's what her last class was. See if you can get your money back and try again in a month or two. It's not worth the struggle right now being prego and all.

Erin said...

Well, I hear ya on tantrum throwing. My ONE YEAR OLD is a master at them. NO JOKE. Full on throws up body all over the floor, arching her back and screaming. Tomorrow will be better, and I can really say it and mean it... cause tomorrow you'll be getting your pictures! I'm still up editing them (11:40). I got started and now I'm hooked. We got some GREAT ones of Cambree. I can't wait for you to see them.

Erin said...

*Oops... I meant to type *her not *up.

Bon said...

If you can't get your money back, maybe still bring her to class and sit on the sidelines watching until she's comfortable. talk it up big time and see if she wants to go join her friends. make everything positive. if she ends up not wanting to join, maybe you can try again later in the year. i signed the kids up for soccer last year, and tucker very rarely participated-he mostly sat on the sidelines. i encouraged him as much as i could, but finally just let him do his thing and figured i'd try again when he was a little older. she also could have a problem with the teacher if she wasn't comforting her "like mom does" when she was so sad the first day. maybe try a new teacher?