Julianna's Blog

My Persistant Mom

April 30, 2010 @ 5:00 PM 18 Comments      

A few days ago, my mom asked me if I wanted to take ballroom classes. She had been a dancer when she was a kid, and so she wanted me to do it. I really was not  interested because:

  1. I was not very interested in dance.
  2. I had taken classes when I was little, and I had not enjoyed them very much.
  3. I was already doing soccer, gymnastics, and Hebrew school.
  4. I needed time to do my homework.

She kept on trying to persuade me to do it, but I kept putting her off. No matter how hard she tried, she never got me to try it.

What is your opinion?

18 Comments

  1. Mrs. Kolbert
    What an interesting post. I like how you given the ballroom classes a lot of thought and are apparently, still considering whether you’ve made the right choice in not trying it. You do have some good reasons why you don’t want to do it. I’m curious about what your mom’s reasons are for wanting you to try it.

    Sometimes, it’s hard to understand our parent’s reasons but often they have very good reasons. What is your mother’s argument?
  2. Elissa
    I wonder if you could make a deal with your mom. What if you agree to try it a few times if she agreed to let you quit if you didn’t enjoy it?

    Obviously you are able to handle a lot of responsibility if you are already involved in soccer, gymnastics, and Hebrew school. A responsible person thinks things through in order to make the best decision.

    I bet your mom has a lot of good memories from her life as a dancer and doesn’t want you to miss out on some great experiences.
  3. Mrs. Wolfhope
    I think you should give dancing another try!! You could wait until summer vacation, or after your soccer season. I know your mom would be happy with your willingness to try again. Plus it could create great memories for you to share with your mom!!
  4. Kelalford
    I am impressed with the amount of thought you have put into this. It shows how much you care about her! Maybe you could try one class and see what you think!
  5. Mr Wood
    Well I think you have started your side very well, included giving reasons. Remember as Mrs. Kolbert says, you need to give reasons for both sides of the argument.
  6. Jordana
    I think you should just try one class and then if you dont like it just tell your mom and persuade her that you dont wanna do it anymore!
  7. Mr Scanlon
    If you want to dance, then dance.

    You need to do it because YOU want to, not because someone else thinks you should.

    Ask your mother why she wants you to do it.

    If it’s just because she thinks you will like it, you could argue that you already do things you like.

    Good luck!
  8. Mrs. Moore
    What if you make a compromise with your mom? Is there something you’d like her to try? You could each try something new and do both things together.
  9. Jessica
    Hmmmmmmm…….. i know how you feel. Just tell her those resons and them (probably) POOF! No ballroom dancing. *laugh* *laugh*. (ballroom dancing? I’d say this to your mom “Really?”)
  10. carly!!!!
    i know how u feel . I would /not do it
  11. Maria C
    Good luck!
  12. Mrs.Sivick
    Hi Julianna, I don’t know how old you are or where you are from but I’m from Philadelphia. My son is 13 and he took ballroom dancing when he was 11 and 12. He had to always wear a nice clothes including a jacket and tie and the girls had to wear dresses. He plays football, basketball and baseball and thought I was crazy. But it turns out he was pretty good at it and often won prizes (just at the lessons..little things like candy) . He tells me no one dances ballroom when he goes to dances at school but we both think it is a skill that will be nice to have when he is older. My oldest son took ballroom dance when he was 12 and when he was about 15 he was in a wedding and completely wowed everyone with his ability to dance. Guess what..I can’t dance at all and ballroom dancing is pretty big now. I have two left feet!

    The thing about ballroom dancing classes is that it is also about social graces….manners. The boys and girls learn how to act properly when at a formal event. My guess is you will be invited to many dances and fancy events as you get older. Knowing how to dance well is just another thing that will make you special. I say give it a try!

    Oh and dancing improves your agility and makes you improve in every sport. Really..it’s true!

    Please post your decision.
  13. Jessica
    P.S. Write more blogposts because this one was really awesome. You’re a great writer so show everyone! I think you can do it Juju! Here’s a cheer for you:
    You can do it, Go go go!
    Show the world all that you know!
    Write about what you got to tell
    So we don’t see your writing repel!

    Hope this encourges you. :D
    ~Jess
  14. dario
    tell her no because she shouldn’t have to bug you
  15. Shelley
    I like Mr. Scanlon’s and Mrs. Moore’s comments… you should do the things you like, but I also think you and your mom could probably also both benefit from wrestling a bit with the anxiety that “trying something new” stirs up. People who know how to get past that to the good stuff can be ROCK STARS!
  16. Mrs. Francisco
    It’s not easy to convince parents you have thought through everything and considered their side as well as whether you truly feel you have absolutely no interest in any type of dancing. Parents pull from their childhood experiences and/or want to have you explore various interests. I like that you are seeking feedback here and have provided 4 reasons.
    I believe it would help to understand why your Mom has such an interest before I give my full advice. Also, what dancing classes had you taken when you were little? How different are they from ballroom dancing? This may help you in your discussion with your mom.
    Also, you are definitely have a full plate of commitments right now. So it would be good to make sure something else was finished before you take on another activity. And lastly, I really liked what Mr. Scanlon says about doing what you like to do. So in order to build on your good foundations of reasons, make sure your mom senses you have considered her reasons why she wants you too.
    Otherwise, it is also important to respect your mom and let her know that if she truly insists on you taking this that it only be for a very short period of time. It’s not easy being a kid nor is it being a parent. Learning Hebrew, playing soccer, and doing gymnastics are great things to be involved in! Enjoy those moments and learn from all your choices. Each day is a new learning experience even for us parents. I look foward to hearing what happens.

    Mrs. Francisco

    PS – I did many activities as a kid including soccer and gymnastics. And did gymnastics in High School and soccer in college. If you do or are interested in doing any floor exercise routines then doing a small amount of dance (not necessarily ballroom) would assist you in developing that aspect of the floor exercise. My favorite events to do were the uneven bars and vaulting. Good luck!
  17. Hannah:)
    You should do whatyou want to do
  18. Ben K
    I think your right you do a great job supporting your opinion

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