Now that it’s almost the end of the school year and report time again, I remembered how I became too fat for ballet.
Looking back, I didn’t really REALLY have ballerina potensial , although I was very good at the “port-de-bra” thing where you stand still and wave first the left and then the right arm in the air. Plus I got full marks for the aural tests where all you use is your ears. None of that “plie” ( pli – yay ? ) business where your knees go out of joint from bending sideways. Ouch.
What happened was that I spent one entire December holiday eating boxes full of Wilson toffees. And after this feast the teacher called in my mom and told her I was now too big to go on “points”. Oh, how I had dreamed about those pink satin tie up “point” shoes…… But it was not to be. Ballet and me parted ways.
And I was put on diet. The first of many many MANY diets in my life. Because, looking back , I suspect a great deal of my “hardegat” attitude towards any form of dieting started right there. I almost instinctively dug in my heels and refused to conform. To this day my biggest pleasure is derived from “going against the norm”.
Was that teacher right ?
As a music teacher, 98% of the pupils I come across do not have and will never have the ability to “make it ” in the music world.
Does that mean they shouldn’t be given the chance to at least go as far as they can?
One of my pupils still doesn’t know the difference between her right and left hands. After a YEAR of lessons. Nevermind being able to read the finger numbers on sheet music.
But she comes into the room with such enthusiasm and she enjoys her lessons so much.
Do I have the right to say to her that she’s a musical disaster ?
NO. I don’t.
Because she’s trying.
And to try is enough.
BE DIFFERENT
IT’S OK
BE YOURSELF
IT’S WHO YOU WERE MEANT TO BE
CHALLENGE AND QUESTION
YOU VOICE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD
By sanna
Parenting viewpoints from parents in the trenches, because parenting doesn’t come with a manual. In addition to