Proud mama

Last night Gabby had her “audition” to move up to the next level Kindermusik class. Well, it wasn’t ACTUALLY an audition…just a trial run to see if she is ready to leave her old “mommy and me” class behind and begin her first “on my own” class.

Gabby is one of the oldest kids in her current class, and would be at the upper end of the age range once she turns 3 next month. And while the next class is for ages 3 to 5, most of the kids are in the 4-ish range…none will have just turned 3 like Gabby.

Miss Jeanie suggested we do a trial run; she said Gabby is definitely on the young side for the next class, but that she might be ready. If it turns out she isn’t ready (or if I just can’t bear it for my “baby” to take a class all by herself yet) she said we would be just fine to continue in our current class for another semester.

So…last night we tested the waters, and Gabby attended the "big kid" class. I had no idea how it was going to go. She does dance by herself and does fine, but there are some weeks where she is definitely *challenging* in Kindermusik…not listening to directions, going off on her own, laying down in the middle of the floor at inopportune times, digging through Miss Jeanie’s supplies on her shelves, etc. So I explained to Gabby in advance how the new class works (she was VERY excited about the idea of doing a class by herself) and how important it was that she listen to Miss Jeanie. She was good to go and ready to try it.

They do 35 minutes on their own, and then the parents join in for the last 10 minutes when the kids share what they have learned, do a little play-acting performance, and sing the goodbye song. As soon as we walked in to join the kids last night, Miss Jeanie gave me a wink and whispered, “She’s ready. No question about it. Totally ready.”

I was BEAMING on the inside! My little girl was BY FAR the tiniest and youngest in the group and I was so proud that she was able to hang with the big kids. I know it wasn’t about “making it” or “not making it”; that it was just about deciding if she was ready, and not being ready wouldn’t be bad. But it did kind of feel like she tried out for something and “made it”…like she passed her test with flying colors. I think I have a predisposition to eventually become a competitive, overbearing stage-mom…I might need to work on that! :)