So I signed the girls up for dance classes this summer. Chrissy's is having a "summer camp" and it's four sessions during the month of July. It just happened to work out that there was a Pre I and Pre III class back to back on Wednesday night. So I only have to go once a week and it's late enough (Serena's class starts at 5pm) that Richard will be home from work and able to stay with Jameson so I don't have to drag him there for two hours. One hour in the lobby with him was enough when it was just Calli's class! I swear, that was the longest hour of my life waiting in that lobby for Calli to finish class. Anyhow, I also know that Serena will need me during her class and there's no way I can watch her and him at the same time.
Yesterday was the first class for both of the girls. Calli was very excited because she would have one of her little friends from preschool in her class this time. Serena said she was excited earlier in the day, but I knew that meant very little. I kept trying to talk up dance class and get her excited. She really enjoys dancing at home and Calli sometimes teaches her some of the moves she learns in her class. So yesterday she was in a good mood early in the day, but I didn't want to take any chances of her being tired and cranky when it was time for dance class. She had stayed up late the night before, with it being 4th of July and hadn't had a nap so I knew she was still trying to catch up on that sleep. She took a four hour nap yesterday and woke up in a pretty good mood, but wasn't quite as excited about dance as she had been before the nap. I got her dressed and she told me she didn't like it and tried to take off her clothes and shoes. After having them on for a bit she got used to it though.
So off we went to dance class. Serena has the same teacher that Calli has had for the last two years so it was nice that she was already familiar with our family and knew Serena's name. When it was time to go in the room, of course Serena didn't want to go so I carried her in. There were eight other little girls in her class, some were excited, some were shy. The parents all got to stay in the room with their kids this time, but next week we will try and be phased out, which I already know is not going to go so well for us.
Serena just stood the whole time and didn't want to dance at all. At least I got her to move to whereever the other little girls were and sit down or stand up, etc. After about ten minutes I had Calli sit with her and try to engage her while I backed off. I thought if I could get her away from being dependent on me, that would be good. She did great having Calli by her side; she still didn't dance, but she wasn't crying or upset. Lots of stickers were given, which confused Serena at first. When the teacher went to give Serena her second sticker, Serena told her she already had one! It was pretty cute. I ended up telling her teacher that Serena is the "anti-Calli" and that I hoped she hadn't expected her to be anything like her sister! I also warned her that I didn't think I would be able to "phase out" of the room like the other parents. I am going to have Calli hang with her for the classes while I sit in the room and watch from the sidelines. At the very least, this is exposing Serena to a social situation, which had to come at some point. She is painfully shy and it's hard for me to see her so scared of putting herself out there. While I can relate to how she feels, things are much different with her than with Calli.
Being in that Pre I classroom brought back memories of Calli's first dance class three years ago when she was just two-years-old. She had four girls total in her class and had never been in any kind of class or structured environment like this. I remember all the other moms leaving right away and their kids being fine with it, but not my little girl who was used to staying at home with Mommy all day. She clung to me for the first few minutes, until her wonderful teacher asked the class if they wanted to be princesses. She then turned to Calli and asked her and that was all it took. Calli fled to the other girls excitedly and never looked back at me for the rest of the class or any after that. She has really enjoyed her time as a dancer and is very good at it too. She has done so well at all three of her recitals: even as a two-year-old she was up on that stage following the teacher's lead from the wings and doing all the moves she was supposed to. I hope Serena can also find happiness in dance someday, but I know things just take more time with her.
Here are my little Dancing Queens all ready to go to their classes!
Serena being Serena
Dance class!
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