To stop DDs dance lessons

[Thisishalloweenfifteen]

DD has done a bit of baby ballet and she loves everything about it. Loves the costumes, the other girls, the music and her passion for dance can't be matched.

Unfortunately, even to my doting eyes I can see she's got no talent at all. Fundamentally, she's just the wrong shape - slightly protruding tummy, short legs and long body, no natural sense of rhythm.

I'm concerned that getting older will lead to mocking and that it means she isn't doing something she actually could shine at (can only really afford two extra curricular things at present) - or should I just let her do it as she loves it?

Thoughts? :)

Wow OP, YABVVU

Basically what you want to say to your FOUR YEAR OLD is this? 'Sorry dd but you aren't going to excel at dancing so you can't do it anymore. I know you love it but you just don't look right. Don't worry though, Mummy will try to find an activity better suited to your protruding tummy, short legs and no sense of rhythm.' ????!!!! Really? THATS the message you want to give her? If so then save the money from dance classes for therapy when she's older.

Jeez I really wish this one was a wind-up.

If she is a talentless lump, don't waste your money.

Fucking foul thing to say about a four-year-old child. Shame on you, kung.

May have a little tear in my eye from madwomans lovely dd.

I did ballet for about 20 years and frankly was shit at it, but made friends for life (yes, even with the ridiculously talented girls) and kept less fat than I would have been fit and no-one cared or said anything. Though I'm now wondering if when my teacher said I had a perfect build for tennis it was more a cue to sod off and do something else than the compliment I took it to be...

I wouldn't let my DD do ballet because I don't like the attitude to body image it promotes - just my personal opinion as the fact I did ballet when I was a kid honestly was a massive factor in my developing an ED and as part of my ED treatment I met several others with the same or similar issues.

However, YABU to stop her from doing something because she's not good at it - to be fair most little kids who do ballet are crap or mediocre in much the same way they are at many things objectively speaking, but who cares if they like it? At that age you're just meant to have fun.

kung, how unpleasant.

Let her keep doing it. At this stage its not about 'being the best', its about trying different things and having a good time. Also if she does have little rhythm and is a little clumsy, this will probably help to improve her in those areas. I did gymnastics when I was in primary school. Never even mastered a cartwheel- but I had fun and did learn other things from it.