Parenting—and teaching—is the ultimate balancing act. We want to push our kids toward progress and excellence while also recognizing the season of life they’re in. But let’s be honest, sometimes we expect too much of ourselves, trying to make everything happen so our kids “never miss out.”
I mean, please tell me I’m not the only one grabbing a quick McDonald’s dinner between activities (or my fav….Chick-fil-A), with one kid in the backseat asleep, another changing in the front and the 3rd at home basically raising himself at 2 years old. I’m totally kidding, kind of….. lol! Sometimes, we manage to make it all work—our superhero capes catching the wind just right. But the truth? They will have to miss things sometimes. And that’s okay. I’m going to put that one more time to remind myself….. Jennifer, sometimes they will have to miss things or be pulled from things and that’s okay!
When we try to do it all, we run on empty, and frustration creeps in—leading us to communicate in ways that don’t reflect our best selves. Have your bear claws ever come out when you didn’t mean for them to? Have you sent the email or made the call BEFORE you just had time to take a breath and remember, our world revolves, starts and stops around them, but the rest of the world? It keeps moving and while I always try to see the best in everyone and not ever take anything personally, sometimes my human flesh shows. We all know that feeling too well—making decisions from the valley instead of the mountaintop. I don’t want that for my kids, so I have to model something different: the power of choosing our best yes. It is always a topic of discussion in our house and you have probably heard that phrase around the studio a few times over the years if you have been with us a while.
At LPAC, we teach this balance in the classroom. We push dancers to give their best, but we also celebrate when they enjoy other passions throughout the season. If they miss class for a school play or band concert, we cheer them on. We expect them to come back ready to put in the work and catch up—not with stress or guilt, but with confidence and excitement. If they’re involved in every program we offer and need to take a step back, we remind them that prioritizing what matters most right now is a life skill, not just a right now skill. We’re always here when they’re ready to dive back in!
Our kids are watching us. They learn how to manage commitments, emotions, and tough decisions by the way we handle ours. So let’s give ourselves grace when we need it, hold ourselves accountable when we can do better, and surround them with mentors who reinforce that balance. Because raising strong, resilient, joy-filled kids isn’t about doing it all—it’s about knowing when to push forward and when to pause, without guilt but with affirmation that it will all be okay…….
And that? That’s a lesson that lasts a lifetime.
With joy for each day and peace for your journey,
Miss Jennifer
