My 8 year old loves dancing, she is super creative and is always singing and dancing. At one point we always knew when she was on the loo because she would burst into big diva-like song every time she went.
And I love this about her, it keeps her active and confident. Her dance teacher is awesome and she has the patience of a saint.
What I hate is the competitions and the shows. They aren't that often but when they happen, oh my gosh....! So here are the 11 reasons I hate being a dance Mum.
1.
Children in full make up
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| Wrong, wrong, wrong. |
2.
The rubbish I eat
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| Scotch eggs, eaten backstage, just to 'get through it' |
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3.
The vast amount of costume changes
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| Cartoon Heroes |
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| Little White Bull |
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| Be my Guest |
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| The Little Mermaid |
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| Jessie from Toy Story |
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| Finale. |
4.
The late nights - we did Friday and Saturday night arriving at 5.30pm and home for 10.30pm. On the Saturday night Lola and I had an argument about how I pulled her hair (trying to brush out the vast amount of hairspray in it). Tired and emotional silence all the way home...and that was just me!
5.
Alcoholism
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| Night one, drank several of these when I got home, again 'just to get through it' |
6.
More Alcoholism
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| Night two, didn't bother to wait to get home, started between costume changes. Still 'getting through it' |
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7. Logistics
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| The show usually happens on Lola's Birthday so logistically it is a nightmare with birthday parties and shows |
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8.
Getting duped - This year on the Saturday night a Mum (who never normally speaks to me) says to me,
"Are you going to see the show tomorrow?"
I say,
"No."
So Mum, who never normally speaks to me, says,
"Oh, can you look after my little girl then as I have tickets for the Sunday Matinee."
In this situation, you can't say no. If it had been one of the Mum's I sit and chat with, fine. Then when I tell people which child I am looking after, other Mum's say things like...
"Oh she's a bit of a handful" and "She is full of mischief".
As it goes, she was really quite good, apart from her obsession with make up, to the point that I gave up stopping her put lipstick on, so by finale she looked like a clown.
9.
Never seeing the show - Because I won't do the above, I never get to see the show. Hubs would do it if he could, but because he is a man he isn't allowed as there are too many half naked girls/pre-teens and young women. This is the best I am ever likely to get.
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| At the side of the stage after the final performance whilst they do the presentations | | |
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10.
The hair - please see number 4. The hair often has a different style for each dance - there is much brushing, messing with and hair spraying hair. And God forbid you get it wrong - I once did a bun in the wrong place (it was too high, apparently). I was ashamed.
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| This is from a couple of years ago, look at the state of that parting! |
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11.
The costumes, you can't have safety pins showing (and trust me loads of them are held together with safety pins), you may be required to sew (see the little mermaid costumes, those bits of material didn't get there on their own), you will definitely end up with a bag that contains sewing kit, safety pins and scissors. This year Lola's duster from Be My Guest broke, fortunately one of the other Mum's had some electrical tape which got it back together again. I can't believe I didn't think of that.
But there are so many reasons why Lola should keep dancing that however much I hate the shows and the competitions, I love that Lola gets to dress up and dance, the self discipline it brings and as I said before, the confidence and you can't help but well up with pride when they have a little solo.
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| Rehearsing for a show in 2012, tiny ballerina. |
