Shocked & Appalled

Random rants

3/01/2006

Cutest. Video. EVER!!!

We had kindergarten orientation for the Little Ballerina last night (the message the school seemed most concerned that we take home: no parking in the drop-off zone!!).

But however adorable those tykes may be, nothing can compare to panda kindergarten.

2/27/2006

Caught between a rock and the uneven bars.

The Little Ballerina is, well, little. She's also remarkably strong and flexible. In short, a perfect gymnast body. She's taken gymnastics for a few years, starting with the Mommy and Me-type movement classes, and moving to a gymnastics studio when she got too big for those. She likes it, and she's good at it. The teachers at the gym are really nice, and great at pushing her to do all she's capable of, without pushing her, if you know what I mean.

SO for a while now, the gym has been saying she should do more advanced gymnastics - an intermediate class here, a "conditioning and strength training class" there. And she's been happy with all the moves. Now they want her to join the team (technically "pre-team," I don't think she's old enough yet for the competitive team). And I'm at an impasse.

On the one hand, the thought of her getting into competitive sports seems insane. She's 5. But they have even younger kids in the class. I've seen the crazy "gym moms" who sit there in the waiting room watching their daughters and who nag "you can do that triple flip, you just have to work more!" One mom counseled me not to be upset when the Ballerina couldn't get her cartwheel right -- her daughter had trouble learning it, "and I just had her practice all night until she got it." I've read Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, I know what the sport can do to your self-esteem and your body. Am I a terrible mom to sign her up for this when she's still so young?

And yet, while watching the Olympics, I was dazzled by the 16-year-old skaters. Competitive sports do start at this age, and if it's what she wants and what she's good at, why shouldn't she? Am I biased because I have no athletic ability? Is this left-over high school jock resentment? (Although, I don't care how much she loves Kim Possible, no cheerleading in my house.) And part of the reason I've held her back from doing the team any earlier is because it doesn't fit with my work schedule. If I were a stay at home mom she could easily do the team. Am I a terrible mom if I don't let her join?

So there you go, modern parenting. No matter what you do, you're wrong.