DH doesn't want DS doing ballet, unless he asks to.

[Ashrev]

Hi,

Want to know who is wrong here. We have an older DD who does ballet (amongst other things) and I just assumed it would be good to start on the same activities we started DD with. DD started when she was 18 months, it was parent/baby. DS has hit 18 months, loves all the little dancy things they do in the class at home, so think it will be good for him.

Apparently DH says no. He has no problem with him doing ballet if he asks us but not to put him in it to start with

Who is unreasonable!?

Obviously your DH is unreasonable....did he say why he doesn't want his DS dancing because I can't think of a single good reason.
I teach dance and have a couple of boys in my class and would love more. My DS comes to class with me and has done since he was a newborn. I would love it if he chose to dance.

Your husband is a dick

pigsdofly has it - just tell your husband that you're taking him to a toddler music and movement class. Because that's surely what it is! It's a class you know and trust so you are in a position to decide that it is worthwhile. Sets him up for music lessons about as much as it does for doing dance in the future, if he decides he wants to do either.

Take him to baby ballet and stop if he doesn't like it. There's no reason not to

Small children don't need to do ballet they just need movement to music. If someone told me their 18 month old child was doing 'ballet' I'd think they were a bit of a muppet tbh

It is just movement to music. 'Baby ballet' is literally the name of the company, it's not like it's the Royal Academy of Dance I just say "we're going to dancing today DS"

Lots of massively negative comments re the husband here. Why is the husband a dick for not wanting his 18 month old child to be pushed into ballet FFS!

I'm the first person to call a man who is a dick, a dick, but in this case I think he is right. Why should the son do just what the older child did!

Why shouldn't the younger child do what the older child is doing if they appear to enjoy it. Context is key here.

If he has only objected to ballet but was fine with the rest he has issues.

So if it's not supposed to be ballet why call it ballet.

I'd think it a bit odd if someone advertised a singing group for toddlers called something like 'baby opera' at which they sang insie, winsie spider.

Obviously I wouldn't be expecting them to sing opera, but it would be just a silly as calling a dance class for toddlers baby ballet.

Your DH is not out of order you are. When he is older if he asks then fine. Otherwise it is no different than trying to force your DD to do rugby or football

Holy cow! Not RTFT but felt I had to respond to this.

What a load of absolute horse shit! Who on earth said he'd be forced, or that girls would have to be forced to do football or rugby? It's this kind of attitude that sets us back to the 1950s.

Fuckin' ell.

Yabu

Ballet at 18 months

Because it's doing pointing toes, first position, second position, pliés, jumps? Whilst wearing ballet shoes? And the little girls wear tutu's? It's taught by a dance teacher trained in ballet? It's just fun pigsDOfly

Goodness, all that at 18 months?

Loved to see all that achieved with a room full of pre school children.

I suppose if they get to wear ballet shoes and the little girls get to wear tutus then it'll all be worth the inflated price their mummies pay for it, even for the little ones who just stand there and stare into the middle distance .

Nobody stands and stares pigs you have to do it with them, they're toddlers after all.

It's brilliant fun, my son enjoys himself, all the little girls do to, tutu's or no. It's an activity, it's no more expensive than mini maestro's or whatever, and it's exercise, which can't be bad, for him or me

I went to 'diddy dance' with my then 2 yo granddaughter a couple of times where the set up is similar with parents doing it with the children.

There were still small children who refused to join in and just stood there staring at what the other children were doing, as children often do at that age.

Having said that they weren't wearing tutus and ballet shoes so maybe that's the reason

It was definitely the lack of ballet shoes pigs shoes maketh the man (or tiny ballerina) and all that

was definitely the lack of ballet shoes pigs shoes maketh the man (or tiny ballerina)

Now I've got Elton John's VTiny Dancer' stuck in my brain.

At least it's not Tina Turner's 'Private Dancer' Emperor

Is your OH worried it might make his son 'catch the gay'?!

If so, you might want to reassure him that lots of 'manly' professional sportsmen (Rugby League players, in particular) incorporate barre work into their S&C programmes for flexibility, mobility, balance and strength.

Ballet is basically just 'graceful gym', and a helluva workout for men and women.

If so, you might want to reassure him that lots of 'manly' professional sportsmen (Rugby League players, in particular) incorporate barre work into their S&C programmes for flexibility, mobility, balance and strength

Rio Ferdinand had a scholarship to the Central School of Ballet until he was 15 and credited it with helping his core strength and balance as a footballer. He thought long and hard about which to pick to persue.

At least it's not Tina Turner's 'Private Dancer' Emperor

Aggh it is now.

Rio Ferdinand had a scholarship to the Central School of Ballet until he was 15 and credited it with helping his core strength and balance as a footballer. He thought long and hard about which to pick to pursue.

Really? I didn't know that!

My dd was in full-time ballet training and got injured - they sent her to see the doctor who also happened to be consultant physician to the athletes at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Ballet is not for cissies.