Last week I had the opportunity to watch my oldest daughter’s ballet class. It’s very interesting to watch her. She is not the most gifted in the class. But she works and she works really, really hard and it has definitely paid off. She follows instructions and listens very intently. She is one focused young lady.
What was most interesting to me though was watching the scenario unfold at the end. The teacher wanted the girls to just do some ‘free’ dancing. The pianist began to play a classic piece from “The Nutcracker” and this group of tween girls stood there. Some giggled and some swayed awkwardly, but you could tell that this was somewhat of a new request. The teacher called out some suggestions and even danced along. . .coaxing girls into the mix, but still the scene was reminiscent of a junior high dance. Except of course for one girl who twirled and pirouetted and bowed and pretended as if there were a real live nutcracker and a whole slew of other cast members.
Yep, there my daughter danced while the other girls kind of looked on. She was uninhibited and confident. While the other girls clearly understood that it was against the unwritten rules of tween conduct to not dance freely but only be the same as everyone else, my daughter stood, or rather danced on her own. And yes, I blame the homeschooling.
I have long said that I’m convinced homeschooled kids often do better socially because of the support and examples that they are surrounded with at home. I suspect that many homeschoolers think freely because they’re allowed to do so, without the fear of being put down. I’m also aware that many homeschoolers are unaware of some of the unnecessary ‘social’ rules that others follow.
As I watched my daughter dance freely, and the other girls kind of stare awkwardly, I wondered if this is what was meant by being “unsocialized.” If so, then I’m okay with that. She definitely broke some social rule in dancing as she did, but it was good. I hope as we continue to homeschool her and her siblings through high school that she feels free to break many more of these unwritten rules that inhibit her peers.
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