Quitting Dance

This week I ran into one of those parenting moments where the right answer just isn't so clear. Although it seems like a simple situation I didn't want to chose the wrong path.

Molly's dance class has been on a three week break for the summer. This whole time she has been saying that she didn't want to go anymore. I thought she was just being silly. When we first started she was two and would cry dropping her off, but she got use to it. For some time now she gets so excited to go and is so happy when we pick her up.

Of course I'm her mom so I try to not overly gush over her, but when Molly does her dance moves she's just a whole different child. Her wild self calms down. She slowly moves her hands to dance like a butterfly. She uses the little ballet terms while she attempts her moves. She just seemed to love it. I'm not saying she is some future super star. She is pretty typical for a 2/3 year old in dance. It just seemed like it calmed her.

Tonight her class was suppose to start back up. I had signed her up for dance and acrobats. All day she had been saying how she didn't want to go. I hoped that when it came down to it she would get ready still, but when it was time and I came out with her clothes and shoes she started crying about how she didn't want to go to dance anymore.

So that left me stuck. Do I take her because I don't want her to lose her progress. By progress I don't mean dance, but her shyness in the class. Do I take her out because she doesn't want to do it anymore. Is she just being stubborn, but would love it once she got there?

I decided that because she was consistent with what she was saying that the best thing I could do is listen. I told her if we didn't go we wouldn't go this summer, but she couldn't sit and watch cartoons instead. Since she isn't yet three it's not like she can really sit and explain the reasons she doesn't want to go. All I can do is trust that there is a reason why.

I hope it's the best choice. I loved gymnastics when I was little, but I was so shy I quit. If that's her reasoning it breaks my heart for her. Being a shy kid sucks. Never feeling comfortable in situations with kids your own age. I don't know if it's better to listen or to encourage so they can break through that.

I want her to love the things she does though. I don't want to force her to do something and her end up hating it. Am I being a good mom who listens or am I making a mistake by just letting her quit.

The good thing is she's two. So the size of ripple this has on her life is probably small, but as parents we always wonder what the lasting effects of our choices will be.