Jaded by children's programs???

We tried putting the boy in a drama class when he was a toddler. Didn't work out too well. He refused to be obedient...didn't want to give up his mat nor "trip-trap" over it like a billy goat gruff nor listen (in a manner that signals he is being attentive) to the story being told. The behavior persisted for the rest of the term. So we stopped our money-losing 'subscription'.

And then there were other programs.... that didn't work out very well. Like him standing at the doorway of the wushu class and refusing to go in, insisting on throwing the ball over and over and over again long after that specific activity has been ceased in his gym class, screaming murder at the sight of  his swimming school's driveway, pointing his finger towards the door during a playgroup trial when he was just a baby, or crawling himself out of a story telling session at the library.

Surprising, we survived one year of group violin lessons, got him swimming with another coach and happily blading with a group of midget warriors on wheels.

I suffer from not knowing if our efforts in putting him in different programs are enriching his life or taking away his childhood (whatever that means) and from trying to decide if the 'tough' approach is better for the kid who knows no better or that the kid does know better since we adults are prejudiced and jaded by our own 'education' which really, did nothing to prepare us for our world did it?

While I see him as a very creative individual with a good heart, his teachers tell me that he is not doing well (academically) in school. That his handwriting is untidy and that he is very slow. All true as well.

And so what do we do? How do we balance parental expectations and societal expectations on the shoulders of a five-year old without breaking the spirit that they each carry into this world?

I don't have the answers, I can only continue to do my best and hope that the best turns out right ( whatever that means again).

Hahahhhahahah!!

And now, I go on a commercial break to promote this programme:

I've met Gerry and know that she will respect those little people she works with. She's coming from the angle of giving each kid the space to unveil the talents she believes they already have - rather than teaching / showing them how to do it.

Hope to see you there with your kids!