as of december 21st, monkey and i will not be dancing. sadly the monkey hasn't been doing well in school. this is troubling when anyone who has met her knows she should be acing school. this coming semester will be a lesson in learning her priorities and (hopefully) letting everyone in her world know that she is an A student and she will get those grades. even if it means she turns off everything around her to be able to focus. i know she'll do this. she was crushed when i told her of my decision to withdraw us from dance. we did quite a bit of crying. but as a good parent, i can not let her grades go without repercussions. Ds and Fs are just not acceptable. her father is not happy. sadly it's taken this for him to become interested in her schooling. she'll still have choir, which she loves. that is the one class she's getting the most solid A i've ever seen. she's hoping to prepare a solo for the solo/ensemble concert this spring. i've suggested she ask her teacher for help with this. sadly, i'm no help when it comes to singing. we've also asked her aunt, who in high school was a star herself, and sang at my wedding when i married monkey's dad. funny, i know she sang a beatles song, i know it was so beautiful it moved me to tears, but i can't remember WHAT song it was.
what scares me is that i've been using dance as a form of therapy for me. i'm sure i'll find something else. possibly join the anytime fitness club that is in my town... but i'm finding little moments of panic when i think about it.
i'm trying to look at the silver lining. i'll be able to save some money. i won't have to buy a ballroom gown for monkey just yet. (miss princess -- different princess than our princess mikkimoto -- wants her students to compete in wisconsin state dancesport competition this april and they require actual ballroom dress for the competition.) i'm going to FINALLY clean my house of all the crap that's in it. (here's where i ask that you guys get on my case about it.) i'm going to take the opportunity to get my life in order again. sorting will help.
i hope that i can count on you all to support me and remind me i won't die without dancing. or, take me out once in a while to the dance floors around here to boogie, even for an hour or two. :D
7 comments:
That's a hard decision to make, I know. If it were one of my girls, I would have done the same thing.
And you're right, think of all the $$$ you'll be saving for the next few months. :-)
that's what i'm hoping for. all the silver linings...
You are a good mommy! She should be getting better grades for sure, she has always been a smarty. Hang in there.
You SOOOO did the right thing. Don't ever doubt yourself. You are a great mom!
You sound like a good mom. Sometimes, it's not fun, but I'm sure you won't regret your decision.
Now, I hate to throw a monkey wrench into your plans (I don't know you AT ALL), but in my experience as a teacher learning about "Digital Learners" (as well as what I see in my own kids) is that they do not learn like we did, and multitasking socially while doing homework is pretty much the norm (and even necessary for them to be "in the zone.") To sit and study without distractions might actually be harder for your daughter. (I know--it's crazy, right?!) My kids watch TV, text, and check their FB pages while doing homework, and both are excellent students. Just a thought. You know her best. I wish you luck :)
Thanks for the recommendations. I've been thinking about renting Julie and Julia. Now I just have to talk Mr.4444 into it...
thanks for the suggestions. i sort of understand the multitasking learning. i couldn't study if it was absolutely silent. HAD to have music in the background. and she's pretty good about getting things done with the tv on. it's the texting i have a problem with. her bff seems to think that as soon as she is done with her stuff, so is monkey. sadly this is not the case. if the constant texting (sometimes not even being able to set her phone down before another one comes in -- for anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes) continues, the phone may sit with me.
as of now, she has everything turned in. i want the grades i know she can achieve to be steady before we look into dance again. getting them back up is one thing, keeping them there is another.
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we both loved julie & julia. if nothing else, it was inspiring. i want to cook more now. :D
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