Tag: Child rearing

Competition Dance For Kids is a Money Leech

threeleadingladies

This past dance season, I was hoodwinked and bamboozled to allowing my daughter to participate on the competition team at her dance studio.

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I knew from a very brief dance experience that I wanted no parts in this whole ordeal.  So much so, I did not have her audition when the time came.  HOWEVER before the season got way, the team teacher sought my child out and convinced she and I to join.  My daughter was adamant she wanted to participate and I was adamant I did not.

I had 3 reason I did not want to join, and they are the same reasons I will not be joining unless she has this epiphany that dance if her calling.

  • Hair and Make-up…I don’t have time for that…I’m a ONE 2 pony-tail MAX kinda girl, and lip-gloss. I know nothing about faux mow-hawk and smoky eyes!

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  • The time-it is time consuming!!!! Between practice for the team, practice for the          MANDATORY DANCE CLASSES, tumbling class, and extra rehearsals…I KNEW I would never have air to breath.
  • THE MONEY!!!! The amount of money I spent on the BRIEF TASTE was alarming and I  knew it was only going to get worse…and it did.

 

You know this hobby is expensive when one mom say “Don’t do the math”. I was like, I do the math..I am math…and the math said, to JUMP SHIP!!!

Let me break it down for you on my expenses for a year to allow my child to dance for approximately 6  minutes 3 times….

From September to June Monthly expenses included:

  1. $182 for 4 dance classes- 2 team and 2 regular ballet, tap, and jazz (all mandatory)
  2. $58 for tumbling class…DESPITE THE FACT my child is by far the best tumbler in her age group and has 2 1/2 hours of gymnastics a week.
  3. $375 on costumes that were cheap as a dollar store costume..one came out the destroyed.
  4. Holiday Gift Exchange parties $50
  5. Accessories for costumes $150
  6. Makeup $35
  7. Bags and storage for costumes/make-up $150…some moms brought the Dream Duffle min $200 which looks like an oversized suitcase
  8. Team Fee $150
  9. Prop Fee $50
  10. Warm Up Suit $150…As I’m typing this out…I’m getting annoyed….
  11. Gifts for graduation $20
  12. Barbecue $30
  13. Dance Attire/Shoes $150 (always need tights and outgrow a shoe or two)
  14. Team Banquet $66
  15. Team End of the Year Event $90
  16. Competition Fees $294…and our last competition ended in a pure DISASTER of being put out the building during awards (still don’t know who won), having the building condemned, and the rest of the competition cancelled.

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I can promise you I left something out. This is what I can remember…I try to push the memory of spending so much on a 6 year old to the lost footage files of my memory.  Keep in mind, I have not included gas driving back and forth to these lovely places 3 times a week or food needing to be brought because we were always on the go.  I think the art of dance is beautiful, breath taking, and worth EVERY PENNY for someone who has a child who has a passion for the art.  My child did and does not.  She’s a gymnast at heart, and I only believe the teacher wanted her on the team because she is the only one who could tumble.  From here on out, we will be investing our money in her passion…gymnastics.  She will continue ballet and tap, and nothing more or nothing less.

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What are your experiences with competitive dance?? I like to hear other experiences to know I’m not crazy!!

The King

threeleadingladies

Javon

This young fellow is the first of my off-spring.  I like to believe he is the reason I am where I am today.  Having him at the tender age of 16 changed my life in ways I never even knew.

Being a teen mom was hard, it was challenging, and it was the hardest test I ever had to take in life thus far.  Everyone in my life told me my life was ruined, and that I wouldn’t amount to anything.  The question was always asked, “What about school, or college? What are you gonna do now?!”

My answer was, “Survive, excel, and continue to be great.”  All that doubt from those who were suppose to be in my corner, was diesel fuel for my stride to success.  I became determined to finish school, go to college, and make something out  of myself, because that little person was depending on me.

My son is my everything, without him I don’t know what path I might have taken.  Without him, I wouldn’t have become an RN at the age of 22, or owned my house at the age of 23.  Without him, I wouldn’t still be striving to be great, because he looks to me the most for guidance on what success entails.

This young man has challenged me in ways I could never explain.  We have been on a rocky roller coaster with his health, his self-esteem, his academics, his work ethic and so on.  There are ups and downs, but we are muddling through them all with grace and dignity.

It’s hard to believe in 1 1/2 years he will be considered an adult.  My baby will be a man.  Until then, he’s just my nerve plucking teenager, who has tempted me to write a book titled “What to expect during the teenage year”.  I swear this is the most important book in parenting, that has yet to be published!

I introduce to you, my King!

 

How Do You Deal With UGLY BABIES?

threeleadingladies

Let’s face it, ALL BABIES ARE NOT CUTE. There I said it.  I mean it too.  I even felt this way about a couple kids of my own.  I think all babies go through an ugly phase.  I KNOW mine did.

My Daughter @ 2 Weeks

I wasn’t in denial, but I had hope.  Hope that I couldn’t produce such an ugly human being, and this too shall pass.

What is even funnier is when people would tell me my baby was cute, I would say, “No she’s not, she’s going through a phase right now. No need for lies.”  With a straight face.  They would look at me like I was pure crazy!

What I was, was pure honest.

I always wondered if people with ugly babies REALIZED their baby was UGLY?  Can a mother’s/father’s love really be so deep, they’re blinded by the obvious?!

Now don’t take this the wrong way.  Just the other day I was teaching my now 5 year old daughter about how beauty is within and not what the eye can see.  However, to myself, I know that sometimes people with beautiful personalities and souls still can be a little hard on the eyes.

When I see an ugly baby, I won’t lie to the parent and say, “Awwwww, he/she is so cute” or “Awww how adorable!”  I hit them with a pure, “Awwwwwww.” That’s it.  My honest Abe self won’t allow me to lead people along with false pretenses.

On a brighter note, like I said, my daughter went through a phase, because now she is just as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside!

 

She recovered!
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