Friday, May 6, 2011

One of those people, in two ways


Today was the Fidg's first Kindermusik class.  I bought the class pass via LivingSocial, figured 4 weeks of musical fun was worth $29.  Naturally, she skipped her morning nap and is probably teething. Not a great combination for a toddler.  She was the second biggest child there - though there were several others her age.  She was digging the other babies - she loves other children usually.  And when one song required her to lay on the floor in front of me to have her belly tickled, she didn't so much giggle as stare, wide-eyed at the instructor.  What the hell IS this, she clearly wondered.  I can't help but feel an affinity to Fidg in moments like this. I think I made the same face the one time I attended a yoga class where we were told to bark.
The first way in which I was one of those people: I've read other bloggers discuss their kids in a protective matter. These kids have some idiosyncrasies or strong personalities and there's this "don't stifle my baby's burgeoning individuality" vibe that's always made my eyes roll like the wheels on the bus.  And yet, this afternoon, when each segment of class ended and the kids sang (parents sang) "let's put away the cars/fruit/scarves/shakey eggs" I couldn't help but think, why you gotta clamp down on my baby's exploration?  So she wants to stand on the drum? So what? So she beats it with her feet. Who cares?  And who takes away a shakey egg after 5 minutes anyway.

The second way in which I was one of those people: from the instructors perspective, I think we were a handful.  "Oh, Thomasina, you want an orange - no, okay, a purple scarf," "Oh, Thomasina, let's put the egg back, no, back, there you go, uh-oh, no, back in the box. Here, I'll put the boxes in the other room . . ," and at one point, the instructor reached over to start picking her up off the drum. I'm the parent letting her child run wild, aren't I? Mine is the disobedient one.  Not sitting quietly in mummy's lap like the other little girls?

But. No. I think she did alright for having no nap and being very tired and being in a new, exciting place. She doesn't want to march in a circle in mummy's arms. She wants to dance under the stereo and on the carpet with the cool lattice pattern that surely felt like freedom under her bare toes.

And that's fine with me.

We probably won't buy a longer class pass.

2 comments:

  1. What a great photo!

    Riley takes a long time to adjust to new places. I think it's a healthy sign that he protects himself and likes to carefully observe and learn from new surroundings. It's an especially good trait in a girl. [Trust your instincts! Think before you talk. Don't jump to do what everyone expects of you.] Good for T.

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  2. We took Alex to a similar class. When the instructor/parents/kids started singing some children's song, he gave us a look like, "Uh, can we get some Cee Lo up in here? Something with a beat?" We did not go back.

    That being said, we should do an Art Beast trip and let them paint to their hearts' content.

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