'Dance' Class

Carmen has been in a 'dance' class for the last five weeks.  It's actually more of a tumbling/movement class but she calls it a 'dance' class.  So, dance class it is. We all know our Carmen can dance, move, wiggle, hop, run and entertain...but, for some reason she refused to do ANYTHING for the first four classes.  When the teacher would even look at he, she would put her head down and pout. She wanted to be held; at times she would not even stand on her own two feet.  Carmen, run to the teacher and give her a high-five---not our girl.  All of the other kids would do it, but Carmen stayed firmly planted in place.  Forget the running.  No way was she going to hop like a kangaroo, do the bear crawl, stretch like a butterfly, walk backwards, touch her toes, chase the hula hoop and the list goes on.  She would reluctantly participate in the 'obstacle' course when she felt like it but was always the last one to go and still refused to look the teach in the eye.

Funny thing is that she talked about dance class all week.  We practiced the activities at home and she had no problem doing them in the comfort of her own home but get her into the class with the other kiddos and forget it. 

Today was a breakthrough.  After four weeks of minimal participation she did EVERYTHING today!  Hallelujah. She listened, she followed directions and even gave the teacher a high five.  Well, sort of.  She actually would put her nose in her hand like she was a chicken, but we'll take it.  She did the stretching exercises, she did the obstacle course over and over and she even chased after the hula hoop when it was her turn.  She let the teacher put a stamp on her foot and even gave her a hug after class. We'll call it a success. 

Just another example of how our stong-willed Carmen will do it when she wants to.  I wonder where she gets that from...