Twinkle Toes...or Maybe Not

Jenna has been in a dance class called Jazznastics now since January. It is only her and two other girls. In the beginning she loved it, she loved getting to wear her dance outfit, she loved dancing, music, the whole thing. Her teacher even told us for a 3 year old she can "really hear the music" and dances to the beat and listens to it instead of just doing whatever. It was so much fun to watch her.

Now fast forward to three weeks ago, all of the sudden she hates it! We've taken her anyway the last two weeks and she's done okay part of the class, and then breaks down in tears. I don't know what it is. She just says she doesn't like dance class anymore and doesn't want to go.

Of course she tells me this AFTER I pay an additional $80 for her recital fee and costume!

So, today at 5:30 is dance class, I asked her this morning which dance outfit she wanted to wear and she started crying right away. She cried the whole way to school about not wanting to go.

What do I do? I'd rather have her not just quit with the recital coming up May 22, but I also don't want to make her do something she hates. It's supposed to be fun and enjoyable. Plus, believe me when I say, I don't need one more reason for her to throw a tantrum!


I know, how can this cute little face throw such tantrums?!?!

Another Morning, Another Tantrum

Sorry I haven't blogged much lately, life is getting in the way!

Jenna, Jenna, Jenna...where do I begin?
You are three now and the most fun you've ever been...usually.

Jenna is so much fun; her language, stories, interest, curiosity, humor, everything.
Except...our mornings. Every morning is a fight, tantrum, and breakdown. She is usually okay when she first wakes up, she goes on the couch, gets milk and a poptart, and watches cartoons.

The explosion starts when I try to get her dressed. She is SO into what she wears lately, and is beyond picky! I mean, more picky than Vera Wang probably is.

These pants are too short!
Not these pants, my black ones!
This shirt to too big!
These pants don't match my underwear!
This doesn't match my coat!
I want my other shoes!
I'm not beautiful, this doesn't match!
I don't want to wear this, I want a dress!

NOTHING I put her in makes her happy. I have to dress her while she is crying, yelling at me, fussing around. You try dressing a 35 pound, strong, fighting, resisting three year old. NOT EASY!

I'm left exhausted before I even leave the house. I realize some of this is my fault. When I was little, I wanted to wear dresses everyday. I changed into different dresses 3-5 times throughout the day. But, I really don't think I threw tantrums about it...
Okay fine, when I started school and had to wear pants on the days we had gym class I remember crying. But that's it. Seriously, I don't know what to do with this kid!

I tried taking her shopping to let her pick our her clothes. I tried having her help me lay two different outfits out the night before, so she could pick one in the morning.

I've tried just saying, "too bad, this is what you're wearing." Which results in crying and yelling until we get to school. This is an option, but I'm not thrilled with it.

My options, as I see it, are to either:
1. Bring her to daycare in the pajama's and let her wear them all day. (I used to see kids like that and think what was their mother thinking! Sorry moms, I now know!)
2. Dress her in her clothes for the next day to sleep in, so we don't have to change in the morning. Maybe the tantrums won't be so bad the night before?! I worry with her fashion attitude and sense of matching, she will not be okay with wearing clothes to bed.

Whatever the answer may be, it needs to be figured out in three months or less! I am not going to deal with this with a new baby, when mornings are even harder!