Normal for dance classes? - Page 2

[Ann-Marita]

I'm a dance teacher. I would NOT allow my daughter at 3.5yrs to attend a class that I couldn't observe. Like other posters, this is a HUGE red flag to me.

(Actually, I still don't want her attending classes that I can't watch or hear. I know the damage that can be done to a child's body - and soul - in dance class, and I will observe any new teacher until I feel comfortable about it.)

In the children's classes I teach, the parents are in a separate room, but are able to see everything, and even hear most of it.

And not allowing the parents to even be in the building is just appalling! Every dance studio I have ever taken from or taught for has had a waiting area for the parents.

I'd go somewhere else.

[sagewinna]

If the parent of a child that young can't be in the building, what happens when the child needs help in the bathroom?

[oliversmum2000]

i wouldnt leave my child somewhere like that

[griffin2004]

Sounds like you're on track with a better place, but I would NEVER go to the first place you described.

My DD is 3.5 and her dance studio requires a parent to be not just in the studio building but in the same room with any child 5 or younger. We parents all line up against the wall and ooh and aah over how cute the little ones are.

I wouldn't be comfortable with anything else at this young age.

[momma2mingbu]

The place my DD dances says the parents are to wait outside the room while class is going on, except for the last class where they set up chairs and you go in to watch.

For normal class days, there are windows all along one wall of the room, opposite the mirrors. These windows have mini-blinds that are open enough that we can see in to watch, but closed enough that the adults watching are not a huge distraction to the kids.

BUT.....with very young girls, if they aren't coping well then our teacher is FINE with moms coming in to help them get adjusted and then slowly removing themselves after class gets started.

Our classes are through the parks department. You might check into that instead of a dance studio. Our teacher is very good, lots of experience and the little girls ADORE her.

[mightymoo]

Our dance school where DD is signed up (hasn't gone yet, but did another program at this school) does not allow the parents in the room, there are no windows, but they do have an observation monitor they put on once in a while so you can observe from the waiting room

I can understand the not wanting parents in the room / watching through a window becuase I do think it makes seperation harder and is distracting to the child with the parent and all the kids whose parents aren't there. DD's Montessori school has the same policy - we leave hte kids at the outer door - however after everyone is settled in october, etc parents are allowed to come visit the classroom.

[corhorvath]

That doesn't sound normal to me. Yes, separate kids from parents so the kids can concentrate, that makes sense. And yes, the girls in my daughter's dance class stop and wave at their moms from time to time, but hey they're 3. We did dance because my daughter loves music and loves to dance. We did it for fun. We weren't doing it to get on stage or on commercials. I didn't want her in a more disciplined, structured environment. Now that she's older and needs to actually learn more, I would like her to be in a more disciplined class, but still, she'll be 5 in December and doesn't need to be pressured to do anything.

In the end, just don't do anything you're not comfortable with.