08/09/2026
💖 this xx
Yes, I let my dancer miss school for dance.
And no, that doesn’t mean I don’t value her education.
Her schoolwork still gets done.
Sometimes it’s done at the kitchen table.
Sometimes it’s done in a hotel room, backstage, in the car, or somewhere between rehearsal and competition.
Because we’ve learned something along the way:
Education and development aren’t limited to a classroom.
Dance is helping raise my child, too.
It’s teaching her discipline when she’s tired.
Confidence when she’s nervous.
Grace when she doesn’t get the part she wanted.
Responsibility when an entire group is counting on her.
Time management when there’s homework AND rehearsal.
And courage when it’s time to walk onto a stage in front of hundreds of people.
But there’s something else dance gives her that I can’t put on a report card.
It makes her happy.
She’s found people who understand her passion.
She’s built friendships with kids she never would have met otherwise.
She’s been exposed to places, experiences and opportunities that wouldn’t exist without dance.
And someday, those years of training could open even bigger doors.
College programs.
Scholarships.
Performances.
Teams.
Careers.
Travel.
Connections.
Maybe she’ll pursue dance for the rest of her life.
Maybe she won’t.
Either way, the confidence, discipline, friendships and memories are coming with her.
So when my child occasionally misses a day of school for something she’s spent countless hours working toward, I don’t see a child “blowing off school.”
I see a child whose education is coming along for the ride while another incredibly important part of her development gets its moment too.
School is preparing her for a future.
Dance is helping her discover who she wants to be when she gets there. ❤️
Inspired Mommy
