Less Bubbles, More Doughnuts.

Back in January, I started taking Reagan to the Little Gym, once a week while Tiernan is in pre-school. We used to go to Gymobree. Which is a happy fun time all the time. The Little Gym has a serious gymnastics bend. Gymboree pretty much ends when the kids turn 3 but Little Gym has gymnastics classes for kids up to like 16. Once they outgrow bubbles and parachutes, it becomes a real gymnastics school.
As such, they are serious, which doesn't mean that it's not fun for the kids. It is 40 minutes of structured activities and five minutes of free play, which is about 7 minutes to short for one year olds. Because it takes Reagan three minutes to figure out what she wants to do, and three minutes to get there. It seems to me that, the kids get intersted in something and freeplay is over and its time to learn a new skill. And its, "Reagan stop what you are doing. Put that down. We have to go over here and learn how to do a back roll."
I have to admit, I give Reagan much more leaway to explore than I gave Tiernan -- in all things not just at gym class. If she is doing something that I would rather she didn't do, as long as it won't hurt her or someone else, I will let her continue. For example, the other day, she was kneeling on top of the picnic table/sandbox in the back. If that were Tiernan, at that age, climbing on top of the table, I would have admonished him to get down. But I let her stay there because, I feel that every time she gets interested in anything, someone is telling her to stop, or takes the object that interests her away. And not always for a good reason. When I, or my wife or Aunt Eileen, tell her to stop or take something away, it is to keep her alive or out of the emergency room. One of the basic rules of parenting. See earlier post.
But there is an older brother who is constantly taking things away from her, things that he claims for his own. Toys, trains, cups, anything. Everytime she picks something up, whether it is his or not, he takes it from her. As a result of this, I feel that she never gets to truly experience or enjoy anything, so I cut her some slack. If she's into something, and happy, I try to let her ride that moment for as long as she wants.
Which was what I was doing today at the Little Gym. I was just letting Reagan enjoy the moment, she loves doing the skills, and she's quite god at them -- the forward rolls and even rotating around the bars. We were practicing holding on the the bar, when we had to stop, to join the rest of the class in learning another new skill. I wouldn't mind, but most of the kids and three-quarters of the parents in this class aren't able to do the five or so skills, we've already learned. These kids are 10 to 16 months old. Some can't even walk. So learning another new skill so soon, seems to be pushing it a bit. Most of these kids are only here to put the toys and bells in their mouth.
But, Reagan and I stopped what we were doing and went to watch Marco do a "forward roll from a doughnut." As soon as I heard "forward roll from a doughnut" I started doing my Homer Simpson voice, "mmmmm....forward rolll from a doughnut....mmmmm"
So we are watching Marco. Marco comes to class with his Dad Vinnie and five year old sister, Isabella. I am not sure what nationallity Marco and his peeps are but they speak with a very heavy accent. Every time his Dad yells, "Marco" almost involuntarily I want to yell, "Polo." I may have even done it once or twice, because Vinnie looks at me funny sometimes.
So Marco... Polo... is doing the "forward roll from a doughnut" and Reagan is watching. Basically, the kids ride a big round padded doughnut over and perform a forward roll onto another mat. "mmmmm.... big round padded doughnut..... mmmm." Marco... Polo... is not to happy about the whole riding the doughnut part of class and he freaks out at first, but gathers himself and finishes with a forward roll.
Eventually all the kids get to perform the skilll and just about everybody loves it and would love to do it again, but... Little Gym is structured and we must move on to the bubbles portion of the class. Very borning. I urge the little gym, please less bubbles more doughnuts.