As it turns out, I don't know everything...

There is so much to be learned from an 8 year old. Especially this 8 year old. Honestly, I'm the mom. I'm supposed to "know better". I'm supposed to teach her about life and guide her on how to make decisions. Sometimes those rule simply don't apply, and we can truly learn something from a third grader.

Back in September Kaitlyn started a new year of dance class. This year she decided to switch from Tap to Jazz, and immediately took to the new form of dance. She had asked me if she could try dance class this year without her walker. I have to say that she made a pretty compelling argument. She told me that sometimes her walker gets in her way when she dances. She mentioned that it's a pain to move it around the dance floor. She also noted that she dances around the house all the time without it, so in her opinion she is completely capable of managing without it. The fact is that she made a pretty good case for herself, and I would never want to stifle Kaitlyn's sense of independence.

However, as her mother I have to be the voice of reason. Having the will and determination to do something is one thing, having a body that will cooperate is another. As much as I appreciate her "Yes I can" attitude, I fear that sometimes she takes things on at her own peril. Just within the past couple of weeks I listened to her emphatically tell me that she didn't need my help getting up a snow-covered steep sledding hill on the side of our house. She wanted so badly to walk up like the other kids were. I let her try. I watched her slip and fall. I let her try again. I watched her fall again. After another 5 or 6 times, I walked down and picked her up, completely exhausted. She's still mad at me for that.

I couldn't in good faith let Kaitlyn just waltz into class without her walker. In my mind, I had several good reasons for this. 1. The class is 45 minutes long. I can't recall another activity where Kaitlyn has had to do anything unassisted for anywhere near that amount of time. 2. When she dances around the house and falls, at least she falls on a soft rug. The floor of the dance studio is a much harder surface. 3. In a dance class there are lots of kids who could bump her, with the slightest bump knocking her over. Having made a good case in my mind, I told Kaitlyn that due to those reasons, I wasn't comfortable quite yet allowing her to dance without her walker. I also told her that I would ask the studio owner if I could watch a class or two sometime where I would let her try some of the class without her walker, and we would take things from there. She wasn't necessarily happy with that decision, but accepted it.

Per recommendation of the studio owner, I had agreed to wait a few weeks to view a class in order to allow the teacher to get into a routine with the girls. So, after about 4 or 5 weeks, I approached the teacher to discuss watching a class. She told me that I was welcome to come, but that Kaitlyn hadn't used her walker AT ALL since the very first day of class. Um, what??? As it turns out, my sweet little daughter who always listens to her mother had been taking her walker into class, and promptly sticking it in the corner as soon as I was out the door. She had been managing the entire 45 minute class with a few falls here and there, but had always gotten right back up and continued dancing.

When I spoke to Kaitlyn about it she told me that not only was she doing just fine without her walker, but that she also wanted no part of wearing her braces and sneakers anymore. She wanted to wear jazz shoes like everyone else, and that's that. I tried to argue her safety (her braces give her a much needed boost in stability), but that was to no avail. So here we were, less than 2 months into the class, and Kaitlyn was dancing around that class with no walker, no braces, and the biggest smirky smile I've ever seen. IN YOUR FACE MOM!

What can I say - she rocks. She is honestly the most driven, determined, independent person I know. She continues to prove time and time again that she really can accomplish anything she puts her mind to. I hope that little by little I'm learning from her. No matter how worried I may be, I need to let her try things. I cannot keep her wrapped in the safety of my arms forever. So with that said, consider this my vow to allow her to go forth and continue to conquer. She may fall. No, she will fall. However she will always get back up and keep trying, and isn't that what really matters? So tackle it all Kaitlyn...  Walk. Run. Jump. Skip. Dance. Embrace all that life has to offer. 

This story ends with the following video. Today Kaitlyn got on stage at a dance performance, and danced her heart out with NO walker and NO braces. She is second from the left with a small red sequined heart on her shirt and a red ribbon and ponytail. I'll let the smile on her face do the talking...