- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Parenting
If your kid takes dance
I'm looking into signing DD up for a dance class this fall or next spring possibly and as I am doing my research on local studios, I'm finding that pretty much none allow parent observation except for one week per month. It seems that the policy of just about everywhere so far is that parents can watch from either an observation room or closed circuit TV in the waiting area, once per month. The rest of the time the classes are closed so that parents cannot view at all.
I get not having parents in the room, that makes sense, it could distract the dancers or instructors. To only allow one silent observation per month though seems odd since the parents aren't even in the room. Is this standard among most studios? It isn't a huge deal, but I'd love to be able to see how DD is doing and if she is really enjoying class or not. I'd hate to just send her in there each week and have her possibly be miserable and wanting to leave.
Just making sure this is the norm! I'm assuming it is since everywhere I've checked seems to have this policy.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: If your kid takes dance
That's not the norm at the studio my daughter dances at. All the dance rooms have large viewing windows with benches and you can just sit outside the room and watch them dance every week. This is the same for other studios in my area. I don't think I have heard of any studio in my area that does not allow viewing.
It's pretty much the norm. The last school DD was at was exactly like this, except we observed in the room once a month.
The one she is at now lets us observe every class, but I know this isn't typical. And they don't keep the door closed so Ken often runs in there and takes over the class.
So yeah, I get it. lol
At most of the studios here there is a viewing area... at the park district you can peak in the door window, but it's not easy to see anything.
The studio we are at has one small window that you can look in (can't see much but just to check) and then has observation classes twice per year.
I usually just dropped DD off and ran a few errands while she was there so it was NBD to me.
Its the norm. I used to teach dance and now I have my daughter in dance. I wouldn't leave her if she was uncomforable or if I was, but then I wouldn't continue classes somewhere I wasn't comfortable at.
I am the type of mom who has never had my kids babysat- very high strung in who I leave my kids with.
I was the 'backstage mom' who hung with the kids at recital because I don't know the other moms well enough to leave my DD with them.
However the dance teacher I am comfortable with totally, probably would even have her babysit- if she ever offered (she has 4 of her own so that's doubtful! lol)
Studios that have a window or cc tv are very unusual around here. I can only think of one that has it and it costs almost 3 times as much. I just can't fathom the justification of that cost just to get to see little 4 and 5 yr olds dance every week.
*I'm a little tardy to the party but....*
I teach ballet and dance at a dance school in a small city. We have a huge windowed door that parents can watch through. On special occasions (we've tried costumes on, we want to show off the dance we've been practicing and learning, etc.) we ask the parents to come into the last 10-15 minutes of class.
I would suggest that you talk to your child's dance instructor and ask for feedback about how your daughter is doing in class if you are worried about her loving it. Also where I am at, sometimes a parent will ask permission to sit in on the class or have a grandparent who is vistiting watch; I always say yes. However, my parents know that this is not done all the time or every week.
It's not that we want you to stay out, or not be able to see (although there is LOTS to be siad for having an accredited and liscenced teacher and dance school) but as pp mentioned if we did not make this policy we would have siblings and other students running in and out of class. As well, when dancers are just young, often as teachers, we sometimes see anxiety about being away from mom or family members, where they get so sad and so upset. I work on building my students trust from day one so that they feel comfortable leaving mom and/or dad for 1/2 hour to an hour. Often if I bring the parents back into the studio once the child is fine being away that long, that anxiety starts back up again.
So just to sum up the reason this policy often exists is we don't want your little dancers injured by distractions. We want them to feel as if the dance studio is a safe place even if mommy and/or daddy are not "right" there. As a dance teacher I want my students to be comfortable and to love coming to class! I would suggest you ask if you (or dad or maybe a grandma or aunt!) may sit in a few times during the year and possibly set up some meetings to talk to your child's instructor about how they are doing.