Each day she asks if it is Tuesday. Tuesday is Dance Class Day. Dance Class Day is a special day. A holiday. Every Tuesday she dresses herself in pink from head to toe. Clutching her pink bag, she bounces into the dance studio, pony tail bobbing.
I watch from afar. She does not speak to the other girls as she takes her place at the very end of the row. She stands a little too close to the girl on her right. The music starts. She bumps into the girl. The girl does not seem to mind. Her eyes burn with intensity as she watches the teacher. Shuffle-hop-step. It takes her a moment to process the move and execute it, but she does it. The rest of the class has already moved on to the next foot, then on to the next step.
I watch from afar, and I fret. Her processing and motor planning issues are evident. It is difficult for her to coordinate her arms and legs. She is always behind.
Then I see it. That smile. Stretched from ear to ear. And I relax. Keep dancing, sweet girl.
5 comments:
It is so hard to watch your child possibly look foolish. When Scott dances and sings, we have to look away. But he also tries hard and loves to feel his body move with the music. I read somewhere that as parents we have to let our children do not only what they need to and what they are good at, but also what they truly enjoy, whether they have any aptitude or not.
Dance away, girl!
Yes, Lori. That's why it's so hard to watch. I don't want to see another child making fun of her. I think my heart will break if I see that happen.
You're so right -- it's impossible to resist the smile spread from ear to ear.
My son has a gross motor delay and motor planning issues. It's been so hard to watch him attempt things other kids do without thinking--things like hopping or jumping, throwing or catching a ball--but the good news is, after awhile (and lots of PT and OT) it begins to fall into place. There will always be things he can't do and things he can't do as well, but the truth is, when he shows us how happy the movement makes him feel, the rest melts away...
I will always be on guard for the kids who snicker and make fun, I've stopped kids in mid-sneer to ask "Who is your mother?" (we live in a small town, what can I say?)
I bet a year from now, your little dancer will be keeping pace with the best of them.
Yes, Kristen. I think I will always be on guard for any teasing. And you're right, it's not about how well our kids do things, it's about how doing those things makes them feel.
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