Pre-school ballet class. Should I stay?

[LynetteScavo]

DD has just started a ballet class, at a new dance school the teacher has set up.

The teacher said it would be better if parents didn't stay for the 40min lesson, but could stay while the chilren settled in.

Fine.

But I've realised the teacher is on her own, with the possibility of being left with 8 or more little 3-5 year old girls.

Is this OK? I'm wondering what will happen if one throws up / wets herself / needs a wee etc. Highly unlikely, I know, but I don't feel 100% comfortable leaving DD, just in case. Am I fussing?

My DD went to one of these for 21/2 - 4 year olds. Sometimes there were as many as 12 girls. But the teacher always had an assistant, and the Mums had to wait in a back room (out of sight of the LOs). That way if anyone needed the loo, got upset etc, the helper would just give the relevent mum a shout. Are you sure she is completely on her own - I think that the recommended ratios are about 1:5 at that age.

I think you are fussing rather. At my dd's class (she's three) we all wait outside, and if any of them need a wee they are sent outside and we take them. I, of course, always make sure my daughter has a wee first, because I am practically perfect
dd loves her class, I think it's good for the children to be independent, and much nicer for the teacher not to be watched beadily by eight fiercely partisan mothers!

And yes, the teacher is on her own - it's only 30 minutes!

It seems all the other mums are refusing to leave. It's only 40 mins, so I guess they don't think there is much point going home.

This week I stayed to watch too, but then DD started pulling faces and fluttering around the room like a butterfly when she wasn't supposed to so I went out side.

My older boys were playing on the playing field out side, so I needed to keep half an eye on them, so I guess I'll take to hanging around outside.

My understanding is (and feel free to shoot me down in flames) is that classes like this have to have a certain number of 'open' sessions a year where parents can watch. Some kind of child protetion issue or something, tho i am really not an expert in this.
Other than this I would be happt for my DD to attend a class, tho i would make sure she went for a wee first.

We were never allowed to stay and tbh I think this was as well. Stopped us all fussing and worrying about whether our dd's goood-toes-naughty-toes was getting as much appreciation as the little show-off from over the road . I just took dd for a wee before it started. And then I reckoned she was in the hands of capable people who had dealt with 4yos before.

My daughter's ballet classes have always had a teacher plus an assistant who did the escorting to the loo etc. The mums (or, on Saturday mornings, mostly dads) have a peaceful half an hour nattering and drinking coffee but at the end of term, we all get to watch the class. The girls find it harder to concentrate when their parents are in the room, so I can understand why the teacher is encouraging parents to leave.