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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to take 6month DD to Baby Ballet?

551 replies

MillieMoosMummy · 09/03/2011 20:13

My DD is actually 5 months but baby ballet starts at 6 months (anyone have any experience of this??)

My MIL basically told me I shouldn't, in front of all of DH's family. She thinks DD 'Does enough already!'

I felt like she was implying that DD isn't having a good time, or that I'm not thinking of her, but I swear she likes her actvities.

At swimming lessons she smiles and splashes, at Gymboree she actually laughs and giggles.

We also do Catapillar music and go to rhyme time at the library.

In four weeks we are starting 'Gymbabes' at Tumbletots.

I tried P & T groups but found them really cliquey.

I'm quite upset about MIL saying this and really enjoy DD's activities.

AIBU? Is she right?

OP posts:
TragicallyHip · 09/03/2011 20:33

Christ I could hardly muster a walk up the road every few days let alone any classes!

If it keeps you happy then I can't see anything wrong with it.

tulip27 · 09/03/2011 20:33

I was like this with my children at that age, I just needed to stay sane, yes the groups were for me, but if it gets you through what really is a rather'groundhog day' experience so be it.
We are still friends with lots of people we met in those groups and its six years later .

beachholiday · 09/03/2011 20:34

I have no idea how baby ballet is supposed to work (and ROFL at the Black Swan comparison)

But if you and your daughter are spending enjoyable time doing these activites than more power to you.

Maybe try to pay less attention to what other people think of how you do things with your child. That'll help more than anything Wink

AmazingBouncingFerret · 09/03/2011 20:35

Is it bad that I hear and read of these sort of activities and just think... I cant be arsed.

OP. If you enjoy it and as long as your DD doesnt scream her way through the whole thing then what is stopping you? Just do it.

withagoat · 09/03/2011 20:35

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

trixymalixy · 09/03/2011 20:36

I found being on mat leave really hard and the only thing that saved my sanity was getting out of the house. Booking classes made me get out every day, I didn't have an unlimited amount of mum friends to meet up with every day and some of the mums I met at these classes I still keep in touch with now.

The classes were mostly for me to get out and socialise , but DD and DS enjoyed them too.

If you can afford it and can be bothered to go then don't listen to anyone else and just go.

Original poster
MillieMoosMummy · 09/03/2011 20:37

Amazing - she never screams! In fact, she's cried once (at rhyme time) when she was 4 months, that's it.

And withagoat?

Jeeeeeeeeeaaaaaalloooooooooouuuuuuss

;)

OP posts:
aPixieMomma · 09/03/2011 20:40

Hahaha,

Oh you're serious?

Erm, yeah, do what you want but really? All them classes for a not even 6 month old? Do you think the more classes you do the better mummy you are? I found this a lot when I took my ds1 to baby groups. (two a week, which we cut down to one, which he still does now over a year later)

Honestly, take her for walks in the park, play in the garden, roll a ball back and forth, play peek a boo, make some jelly and let her squish it, All these things will stimulate her, they are free and she'll still enjoy it.

aPixieMomma · 09/03/2011 20:43

Oh and ds2 has never been to a baby group (apart from his brothers on a Friday morning) but he laughs and smiles a lot and enjoys my company doing all the things I mentioned above.

No need to waste money on more than one, maybe 2 baby classes.

Sleepwhenidie · 09/03/2011 20:44

My immediate thought was I hope you're not planning any more DC's because if you try keeping it up with this dc and future ones you will end up as some kind of nut job who constantly sings nursery rhymesGrin

Seriously though, whatever is right for you and DD (although "ballet" for a 6m old does sound pretty pretentious!)

BiddytheKnackerwoman · 09/03/2011 20:44

Took DD to baby ballet at 18 months and if anything it was wierd and confusing for her.
They have a system of each activity lasting 2 or 3 mins each and for a lot of them they hand out a lovely prop - a gorgeous teddy in a tutu, a fairy wand, a tambourine. Said child then has to hand back beautiful prop after the activity and doesn't have a clue why. Cue upset and tears.

So IMHO you reeeaaaally don't need to take her to baby ballet in light of everything else you do. Maybe save Baby ballet till she's older.
Nothing wrong with mum and baby song time at home with some shakers/pots and spoons. A child that age doesn't neeed to socialize.

LetsgoflyaBlatherskite · 09/03/2011 20:46

I probably did a similar amount of activities with DS when he was teeny. Being at home all day every day used to drive me crazy and doing the classes got us out of the house and meeting new people which made me feel better and more connected with the world.

Now he's almost 4 and at pre school every morning, DD (14 months) and I do classes 3 mornings out of 5 to get us out and about and we all go to soft play on a Friday. She loves her classes and I really think she ejoys them.

At 6 months, I would say that classes are probably benefitting you more than your DD but if that's what it takes to make you happy then you're not hurting anyone so carry on.

Original poster
MillieMoosMummy · 09/03/2011 20:55

APixie - I don't think 'the more classes, the better the mum' I just think, she seems to like going out, seeing other babies, doing different things in different places.

Plus, dressing her up in a pink tutu can only lead to cute photos ;)

MIL seems to be winning this!

OP posts:
sungirltan · 09/03/2011 20:56

yanbu - go if you want to. i do loads of classes with my dd (rhyme time/baby yoga/water babies/jo jingles - only one i said no to was baby signing because my SE teacher mother told me it was bs - which it is)

ita a cultural thing though. my mum is really supportive and encouraged me to try everything with dd but my in laws make really odd remarks about me taking dd to anything and intone that its just me being pretentious etc. its not - i like to go out and meet other mums and let dd try things out.

CatIsSleepy · 09/03/2011 21:02

look, she's your baby, do what the hell you want with her

activate · 09/03/2011 21:13

oh yes a baby girl in a pink tutu

and will you be putting a bow in her hair too?

Grin

I think you need to make some proper friends tbh and start having lunch clubs and park visits and coffee mornings and stop paying for all your social life

in all seriousness, do you have any close new mum friends? if not are you good at making friends? if so, are they doing all these classes with you?

usualsuspect · 09/03/2011 21:16

Is there such a thing as baby ballet? bloody nora I've heard it all now

backwardpossom · 09/03/2011 21:17

Baby ballet? I've heard it all now...

MissVerinder · 09/03/2011 21:17

Stuff ballet, get MIL to babysit and have some time to yourself for an hour. Do anything you want.

neverforgethowmuchiloveyou · 09/03/2011 21:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

regeneration · 09/03/2011 21:24

I used to teach baby ballet: but we started at 4 YEARS not 6 months. It was pre-pre primary: 2 years before you can take your first ballet exam.

notnowbernard · 09/03/2011 21:25

I have nothing to add to this thread but am very curious as to what ballet with a 6m old would involve...

rosie1979 · 09/03/2011 21:26

When my ds was this age we did swimming and music class, that seemed like loads!

Although I did hang out with baby friends all the time, we used to have all day lunches and hang out in the cafes, go for long walks.

Now I really wish I had just stayed at home more with my lovely baby and chilled...instead of haring round the place knackering both of us out.

But OP, if it suits you then go for it. :)

MilkNoSugarPlease · 09/03/2011 21:27

Yabu....purely for the reason that I've been to several of those baby ballet classes and they're shit for under about 18m

Original poster
MillieMoosMummy · 09/03/2011 21:28

Activate - I have loads of friends.

DD and I lunch with them, go shopping, they come over, we go to them. Some have children, some don't.

Just because I spend time doing activities with DD doesn't mean I dint have time for anything else...

I find you quite insulting actually.

OP posts: