It's A Ballet Thing

OK, back to the ballet body image issue. It turns out that it was good that I didn't go off on the little dance teacher.

I related the conversation that M.P. had with her teacher to two of the other ballet moms, and got a whole new perspective on the deal. They think that it was likely that the ballet teacher was concerned about proper ballet form and posture, rather than chubby tummies sticking out during a ballet routine.

It still warrants a conversation with the teacher, because it's still not good that M.Peevie came away thinking that her teacher thinks she's fat--but now it seems likely that the teacher may have had an appropriate motivation for saying what she did, but that she needs to rethink how she communicates the concept of ballet posture to six-year-olds.

This is a completely different conversation, with a completely different tone, than the one I was prepared to have.

So this whole situation is yet another reminder to me that I need to hear all sides before forming a judgment, and especially before making things worse by going on the attack. That's my first inclination, of course--to jump in swinging, and ask questions later.

It's very Sermon-on-the-Mountish: blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.