And your mom dresses you funny...

Meatball and Jellybean have been going to ballet class for about six months, now. Jellybean throws her whole girly, twirly self into it. She loves the leotards and the tutu and the shoes. She loves all of the fancy schmancy stuff that girls sometimes go ga-ga over.

But, Meatball...Meatball loves to dance. He loves ballet. He loves the precision and the challenge and the music. He tells us, "I'm so happy when I'm dancing ballet!" and he is. It is his favorite time of week. When you watch him in class his face just beams. Porkchop was so excited to turn three years old so he would be old enough to go to ballet. But Porkchop excels at things that involve sheer brute force. Ballet, alas, is not his thing. This was his second and last week. At least for now. He told me halfway through class that he was just, "too tired of listening and paying attention." no doubt.

One thing that makes me sad about other people's reactions to Meatball's ballet, is that the comments usually come when a brother wants to join the class. There have been three times now that I've overheard brothers coming to class with parents to drop off sisters.
"Can I do ballet?"
"NO! Boys don't do ballet."
"But, that boy is doing ballet."
"Well, my son doesn't do ballet. You're not a sissy!"
No, he's not. and neither is Meatball. I feel sorry for these boys. For the limitations that their parents have put on their gender.


It's almost easier for girls, right now. Girls are expected in this day and age to play soccer or learn karate. The barriers for girls in childhood activities is nearly non-existent. I know it pokes its nasty head up again as the girls get into high school and college. But in the early years, we like our girls competitive with boys. I like that, too. But, if I'm going to tell Jellybean she can try anything even if she's a girl, than I will tell my sons the same thing. and that means ballet, for Meatball.