On Teaching My Own Kid

Teaching 6-year-olds is fun

I was really nervous to teach my daughter's class because I really, really don't want to turn into a psycho dance mom. But we've both ended up really liking it. We've settled upon a slightly schizophrenic approach to class (which is ironic considering how I specifically don't want to be a psycho dance mom). Mother-and-daughter is one relationship; Miss Chelsea-and-dancer is a completely different thing.

I like that I get to see her progress every single week, but I miss out on watching the demonstration classes. I like that I know exactly what's going on in her dance education, but I don't want to get used to that because I won't be her teacher forever. I love spending time with her doing something we both enjoy, but I want her to have her own thing too.

I was nervous my daughter would be a little sassy or less respectful because, duh, I'm her mom. She's only sassed me once and I handled it just like every other time a little kid gets mouthy in class. (I give them a small sideways hug and ask "Is that how you speak to a teacher?" It's worked every time.) And given her age, being mouthy once in two years is simultaneously age-appropriate and very good.

I was nervous I would be harder on my own kid than everyone else's. Every once in a while this happens. But my daughter saves her comment for when we are in the car going home and then she says, "You know, mom, I'm not your assistant. It's okay for me to not be perfect." She's right.

When I tuck her in at night I always ask, "How was ballet class?" I don't think she appreciates this because her response is usually, "You were there. You know how class went." I explain that I know how I thought it went, but I also want to know what she thought of the class. If I didn't ask how class went I wouldn't know that standing next to C bothers her because he is distracting, or that A is her favorite ballet friend right now. I wouldn't know that her favorite step is balancé, or that she misses doing the freeze dance game like she did in pre-ballet. 

I'm glad I touch base with her. It helps reconcile the strange mother/teacher split we live with.