My daughter turned 3 four days ago and I have had her in rec classes coming up on a year in April of 2008.  She has had fun and being that I stay home with her, I wanted her to experience what being in a class is like. True enough, I babysit 2 other girls from home a few days a week but they are younger, so it is not like I can hold a class from home. There are so many choices and times and it does help that this area is large, because I can pick and choose from so many different locations.

I will never forget her first class, she was roughly 27 months old and never had the structure of a class and it showed! This is the same child that never acts out in public and I can take her anywhere and never worry about her behavior!  But, this day was altogether different. After free play in this Mommy and Me "Zoom Around the Room" class, tunnels and balls and hula hoops were to be put away to move onto the structured part of the class.  Let me tell you, she did not like it a bit. She cried when the firetruck tunnel was put away into the closet as if it was her most dear posession and she could simply not bear to part. We go to sit down "Indian Style," and she could not let go of what had happened before.  I had never seen her act like this and did not know what to do! My husband came this day and he looked at me like-"DO SOMETHING!" Finally, the portion of the class moved onto banging on instruments and marching around the room and her attitude changed too. After the class, I talked with other parents and they thought that their child was the worst in the class.  That made me feel better because I realized that it was a learning experience for all of them. The next week she rushed to help put away the toys, and was upset when  a couple of the younger babies did not comply.  What a change a class made! I realized then how important this $75.00 class was to her growth and development, so we enrolled in a different class that summer and then the fall.

I decided this winter to put her into one rec class, and one "real ballet school" because she is now 3. The ballet school required at age 3, that her hair be pulled up a certain way and the she wear all pink, etc.  I was excited because my daughter who loved to dance since 6 mos. could really learn. Then I thought, will this stringent school take the "fun" out of fundamentals? So, after months of deciding on that school I changed my mind.  I wanted my princess to enjoy it and not be judged harshly for not getting a pli^e just right. I signed her up for a city Rec Class in Fairfax and the teacher there has a Master's in dance! The description of the class was similar, but the rules not so rigid. To top it off, the City of Fairfax class was only $40.00! The Fairfax County classes are $75.00 and up! That was even more of a bonus. 

In the end, I want her to be in the best class for her needs, but at 3 I think that this one will do just fine. I don't want her to lose the excitement and love for something just because I think that she could be the next Debbie Allen or something. She will make the decision on what she wants to be and what she loves, but having fun will keep her interesed longer and keep her interests open! :)