Time for Ballet

Sometimes I think about enrolling Daisy in a kindergarten, which is actually a state-funded preschool for over-3's. Attending a kindergarten would be the best way for Daisy to learn German. I recently looked into a very nice kindergarten in our neighborhood. I had a tour and was impressed by how orderly the materials were arranged and how many rooms the children rotate between.
However, the hours of kindergarten run from 7:00-2:00 every day. Of course, I could consistently be late and early, but it just does not seem like the ideal scenario. First of all, I don't have a job, and day-care, however educational, is not necessary. What would I do during that time? Grocery shop? Blog!?
Another concern is that, though Daisy would learn German, she would struggle to communicate. For example, Daisy is in an wildly possessive stage right now. Yesterday, another toddler touched her buggy and she screamed in outrage, "No, girl, this is Daisy's!" Fascinatingly, this conviction also applies in reverse. Today, she trailed her friend Berenike all around the park, arms outstretched with B's sand toy, reminding - scolding? - "Here's your toy, this is Berenike's..." It's sad to imagine Daisy in a frantic situation like this without an English-speaking moderator to understand her. But it's tragic to imagine Daisy getting used to it, to having this way of life for a year, to imagine inflicting that kind of knock to her self-esteem. I believe that there are gentler ways to learn a new language.

Something that has always made sense is local parent-child groups. Daisy has me, I have a social setting with other parents, and we both have German in surround-sound. Besides our Thursday Spielgruppe, we've been enjoying a Monday forest group. Fridays we're in Dusseldorf for a British "Mums" group. But we have some open days!

Yesterday, we tried out a new Tuesday group: "Mami und Ich" dancing! I expected Daisy to take a while to warm up to the new situation, like she usually does. We discussed the first class a lot the night before and morning of, just like we did for her recent amazing doctor appointment. We read one of her favorite books, "Time for Ballet." We got there early. She wore her "tutu dress" with pink bows in her hair. We were ready.

Contrary to my very realistic expectations, Daisy ran in like it was home. Smiling, laughing, spinning. It was everything she -and I - ever dreamed it could be. The teacher is efficient and bubbly, the music selections are great, we have great props like tambourines with flowing ribbons, scarves, and magic wands, and there's times for the moms to get a work-out, for instance, by prancing with our little darlings on our backs. During a peaceful flute melody, we all paired off and waved big colorful banners up and down. Apparently, Daisy was swept away by the beauty of it all and joined in with a lovely falsetto coo. I think I felt my eyes welling up. She kept up her cooing for the rest of the class, though, a little to my chagrin. But who has the heart to make a 2-year-old stop singing along with the music while she dances? Not Miss Katrin, nor I.

Success! Next on the docket: swimming, music, or gymnastic classes? I'll keep you posted.