Nostalgia...

[Pups_mum]

I've just spotted a few pictures on social media of girls dancing in half term dance festivals and its left me feeling a bit nostalgic and philosophical. I saw some very mature looking young ladies dancing in E and F sections and then saw the names and thought "Huh...how did that happen? They were babies last time I looked?" Then I realised that some of the youngest dancers weren't even born when my DD last danced on that stage. But it feels like 5 minutes since I was spending every half term getting costumes ready, or worrying about exams and auditions. 

It struck me, that both we as parents, and our young people, spend an awful lot of time worrying about where we are going, what the next step will be and where it will end. Sometimes we spend so much time thinking about where we are going, that we are in danger of not seeing where we are at the moment - and that may be a very beautiful place.

So whatever stage your little, and not so little, dancers are at right now be sure to savour it, and enjoy it as an experience in its own right, not just as a route to something else, because in a blink of an eye it will be over. If you are old enough to remember Take That....soon this will all be someone else's dream. 

[Betty]

So true and could apply to so many things in parenting. Thanks for this perspective!

[Pixiewoo]

DD is only 14, and already I look at the little dancers and think 'where did my baby go?', then I watch her dancing now, and think 'wow, she's so grown up' and I wonder where it will all end up, but I am taking time to enjoy it all now. 

 

Thank you pups_mum for your philosophical post xxx 

[Belleballerina]

This is such a lovely post and I am so with you - dd now in her 2nd year at Laine and is loving it and a beautiful time but yes we did do the festival circuit just to get there but we had such happy times and memories every half term or easter holidays. I miss it but she doesn't as she is now in her perfect place x