57 years ago the September when my parents signed me up for dance lessons. I’m sure they never thought their decision would affect me all these years later.. it was September 1966. My mom was outside talking to a neighbor in the afternoon while i was playing when she saw a group of little girls with bags on their shoulders, wearing leotards and tights walking down the sidewalk in Flint, Michigan. My mom asked the neighbor where the girls were going and she was told that they were walking to the local dance teacher, who had a studio in her basement, a few blocks away. My mom got Mrs. Kincaid’s phone number and inquired about signing me up. Elzina said that no one had asked to sign up a child as young as me, she usually took children the age of five, but she told my mom to bring me the following week. She also told her that she would not be able to find dance attire that small, so she should just bring me in a swimsuit. The following week we showed up, for class I loved it and that was the very beginning my official interest of dance. All of these years, later I am grateful that my parents gave me the opportunity to learn to dance, and I’m grateful that they found for me really great instruction with teachers along the way from Mrs. Kincaid, to Robert Davis, to Marcia DeVoe to Al Gilbert.
As you select coaches and teachers for the activities after school, your children participate in, consider very importantly, the people who will influence your children’s lives. When it comes to the classroom, sometimes you don’t have an option, you have to take the schedule or teacher your child is given, (although, don’t hesitate when you see a problem to speak up and makes changes here when necessary, this is YOUR child, and you pay the salary of the teacher and administrators, you have a right and an obligation to go to bat for your child when necessary) when it comes to the activities after school and on the weekends you do. We always looked for instructors who would not only teach our children the skills we wanted them to learn, but also instilled qualities that we were working on at home like good character, honesty, discipline and the value of working towards a goal. We had many excellent tennis and golf coaches and instructors over the years who inspired them, more than anything else, to be a good person. It was a tennis instructor in Florida who told Zach, “You are the average on the company you keep,” a phrase we have repeated over and over to our kids and others. Thanks Coach Scott on that one. I remember telling Art Grundy at Genesys Athletic Club, “If you ever have a problem with one of our kids mouthing back, make them run laps you have our support.” Giving Art that freedom from us, to know that we had his back and supported him if our kids were disrespectful, allowed to do his job coaching and handle things as he went along. Our kids spent many hours with Art and we valued the time and effort he put into our children to this day, they will tell you that was an important part of their life growing up and they have great respect for Art and what he did for them.
Remember that, your child’s days on the court, field, in the pool, or in the studio maybe limited but their character discipline and work ethic are qualities that will be with them for the rest of their life. be careful of the people who will teach and influence your children, they will have an impact and you want them to be imparting the same wisdom you are influencing at home. This will not only influence their lives, but generation to come. Choose wisely…wishing you a Great Day 🍎
