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[bicrim]

So, for Christmas we got a family membership to the YMCA/JCC in our area. They offer preschool swimming and other enrichment classes for little ones. We plan to enroll Elliot, who is 3.5, in a class next month. The choices are soccer, ballet, and swimming. He loves all of these things pretty equally. I am partial to ballet, because I danced for 7

Comments

[madrona]

I'm under the distinct impression that boys don't get as much flak for dancing and being less than totally macho as they used to, so if that's your only concern, you might as well have him try ballet.

Apart from the teasing issue, my personal bias is to put any small child regardless of gender or appearance in swimming instead of ballet if I have to choose, because ballet ended up being a negative experience for me, and because swimming is such a handy skill.

[madrona]

Doublepost to add: Awwwww, cute boy!

[bicrim]

we will definitely do swimming at some point before the summer.

[wholuvsya]

Gabe takes dance class and hasn't heard anything badly about it. He loves dance!

[dreamweaver523]

at 3.5, I dont think it will matter too much. however, maybe it will later. Who knows...this type of thing could go either way. There was a boy in my daughter's dance class, who is now a dancer on Broadway.

I'd let him pick, and explain that he can do one this time, and then the same one next time or something new next time. He's 3.5 This isn't likely to be his life path.

[box_of_rocks]

Honestly, when he's this young I don't think it matters. I remember plenty of boys in my gymnastics class from when I was 4 (we have videotapes of it so that's how I remember) and by the age of 6 or so I don't think any of us were in it anymore. If it does end up being something he loves, then hey, that's awesome he found a passion. But more likely he'll switch activities several times between now and whatever age it is that boys start teasing each other for doing ballet. So how's that for a copout answer?

[bajingo]

It could encourage other kids to be nasty to him, if he were older anyway. Ballet is awesome, and I mean, honestly. Professional boxers and football players often take it, it can't be that "girly", right?

I wouldn't think of how other kids would react, no. If my kid was worried, I wouldn't push it (I wouldn't "push" it anyway). But if it's something my kid would honestly enjoy and would be beneficial, there's no reason to let other people's opinions change my mind.

I would totally try swimming next. Honestly, your son is going to be in great shape after all these classes! I wish it was affordable to send my girls to classes like that, but it's not at the moment.