# Baby Ballet



## jilldill (Feb 2, 2006)

I have been taking Sunshine to Baby Ballet for several weeks and she absolutely loves it. She practices her little moves at home and in the class she concentrates for 45 minutes solidly. However 3 weeks ago at the end when the lights were dimmed she burst into tears! She said it was the lights that upset her. the next week the lights were kept on but she burst into tears when the Ted's were out to bed and the same last week. This week 5 minutes in she started crying and got terribly upset! I am completely at a loss as to quite why as she really loves the class. She is very sensitive and I wonder if the rather melancholic music is getting to her. The teacher is lovely and hugged her at the end and asked if she was abit sad today she again went into floods! We both left in tears and I am left bewildered as to what is causing this and what to do. If she didn't like the class I wouldn't even be writing this I just wouldn't take her again. I wont take her this week and have a think about it. Any advice anyone or experience of this sort of thing? I obviously wont take my baby to something that is going to upset her but it is something she talks about and was so looking forward to.
Thanks all JD x


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## dawny36 (Mar 28, 2007)

Hi Jilldill,

That does seem a bit odd doesnt it? has any of the routine changed they must be something triggering her distress and you may not find out what it is you may have to go with your gut feeling.

I took my little one to baby ballet for a while but stopped after 4 weeks it made her really hyper and she would go round all the mums vying for their attention or roll around in the middle of the circle it just wasnt working.

Hope you can sort it and like you say it is a shame if she was enjoying it to start with.

Dawny
x


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## spjulac (Oct 2, 2007)

Toddlers are terribly prone to getting fears. My 3 year old is terrified of the dark at the moment. It may be that because it happened once your daughter is anticipating darkness again. At the weekend we gave our daughter a torch and glow stick to play with. She was so fascinated she wanted to go to dark places to see the light better. You might let her "experiment" with a torch in a "tent" or under a blanket, and then gradually turn the lights in the room down. It just helps overcome the fear, because she will begin to understand that it isn't scary and with a torch she can control the level of light herself. I could be wrong but it sounds like a clear precipitant when the light dimmed. If it is another fear, then simple reassurance and showing her that you are not scared but there to comfort her should be enough. The fears rarely stay for long!


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## jilldill (Feb 2, 2006)

Hi Dawny and Spjulac
Thanks for your messages. No nothing has changed the same lovely children and Mum's, delightful teacher, no pressure to do anything alone, all very gentle and just gorgeous! Iam really bewildered as to what has caused the upset it will be such a shame if I can't take her to something she got so much from. She is exceptionally sensitive to others and things around her maybe she just finds it or the music emotional but obviously at just 3 she can't vocalise her feelings. When I ask her she says it was the ballet class! when it first happened it was the lights being dimmed then the teddies! She isn't in the slightest bit worried by dim light or darkness and hasn't mentioned that since the first week. In the afternoon on the same day we went to another group and all the way down the road she asked excitedly Is this baby ballet? She still wants to practice her good toes naughty toes too!
JD x


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## spjulac (Oct 2, 2007)

I wouldn't stop taking her unless she really finds it intolerable. It sounds as if she is still enjoying it at the moment. It may have been a passing thing that won't recur. If she does get upset it might be worth having a preplanned "exit strategy" with a reward for h er for afterwards. Something along the lines of "its OK little one, lets go home and do [insert something she likes] you did very well today to stay for so long!" .Then there is no expectation of her having to stay doing something she is upset by, but she has at least the opportunity to try it again unpressurized.

I'm sorry to bang on about the dark thing, but the clocks went back about 3 weeks ago, and this certainly triggered my daughter who was surprised to leave nursery in the dark in the evenings. We do swimming every week and sometimes she has really disliked it, but the teacher advised to keep going because otherwise she will not learn to swim, and its better and easier to overcome these fears when little.


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## jilldill (Feb 2, 2006)

Thanks spjulac,
Wise words there, I like that plan I will give it a go next week and see how she gets on.
Thanks again JD x


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## cindyp (Apr 7, 2003)

Haven't got any words of advice JD but hope Sunshine gets over this blip and enjoys her ballet again.

Cindy


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## spjulac (Oct 2, 2007)

How did it go- have you been back to ballet yet?

My daughter is still scared of the dark. When I picked her up from nursery yesterday she said there were "ghosts" and "its dark". She was fine playing with a torch in the car "I'm making a disco!"- great distraction!


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## jilldill (Feb 2, 2006)

Hi spjulac,
No we didn't go today as Sunshine was too busy having a teddy bears picnic! Iam working next week My plan is miss the two weeks then I will sit beside her for the class and see how she gets on.
Thanks JD x


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