To say DS needs to go to the closest dance school?

[daughterhollysonharry]

DS is 11 and really wants to take up ballet. There's a boys dance school about a 20 minute drive away. There's a closer dance school about 3 mins away which would be helpful as he can walk.

DD goes to girl guides as she didn't want to do the trips with boys (I suppose this is relevant).

I've said that DS should just try the closer one and if the girls do say something, we'll assess it after. Apparently his argument is that I didn't make DD try the closer scouts, but the thing is, that's harder to get into/leave, etc.

He has said "don't worry Mum" and isn't going to even give the other one a go! Which makes me even less likely to do it. Why can't he just give it a go?

AIBU???

It's pretty troubling that you have an attitude that anyone doing anything out of the ordinary is a prime target for piss-taking. Of course secondary school kids can be like this, but not all of them at all. And I wonder of the ones who are have internalised this sort of message from their parents...

I wouldn't discourage him

But the absence of discouragement does not equal encouragement.

Support his dreams and take him to the classes - or risk being that mother who sees her son once a year on Christmas because he'd rather spend his adult life around people who actually care about what he wants.