Sunday, October 30, 2011

How I Came to Be a Ballet Mom

It's taken me a long time to come to terms with who I am.  But, the reality is...I am a ballet mom.  I have 3 children who have chosen to follow this course of aspiring professional ballet dancers and that makes me without question <gulp> a ballet mom.

I started this journey almost 8 years ago out of one reason. VANITY!!!  I longed to see my little princess parade around in a tutu and tiara.  Poor baby wasn't even 3 yet, and here I was planning her life for her.  Much to my surprise and initial dismay.  My son wanted to dance too!  He didn't care that all there were at that first Parks and Rec lesson were pink ballet slippers, he felt called at the age of 4.  Who would have ever dreamed that in that moment our life would be set on such a dramatic journey.  One that will continue to unfold for many years to come.  This journey has been filled with ups and downs already.  But, all in all it is very rewarding and a course I would not change for anything.

As for me, I am a ballet mom and unfortunately that means...I lose perspective on a daily basis.  I become consumed by the green-eyed monster.  I overspend for leotards, private lessons, pilates, competitions, costumes, tutus, pointe shoes, tights, and whatever else I think my kids need to get the edge on the competition.  But, when I pause and take a step back, the reality is most of that will not make a difference in whether my children succeed or fail on this journey.  What will matter is how often I manage to help them keep perspective.  It's a tightrope and one which I am ill-prepared for.  But, I learn a lot on a daily  basis and that is what I hope to chronicle in this journal.  My dad always said that if I could learn from his experiences how easy my life would be.  Maybe somebody out there will learn from my experience and this journey will be easier for them?  Probably not, but I am ultimately an optimist.

So, here are the ground rules:
1. The characters you will meet are caricatures never actual individuals
2. Names are changed to protect the innocent and the guilty, unless they really tick me off.
3. These are my opinions and perspectives and as such they will always be skewed to my version of reality
4.  Nobody is ever as one-dimensional as they may seem in the moment that they are depicted, nobody is as great, evil, vain, greedy, self-serving, talented or untalented as my limited words will portray
5.  If my words offend you, feel free to tune out and if you love them, feel free to share them (but, give me credit because I have an ego)

So...5,6,7,8 here we go!