Strictly Dance Mum and exams

This morning was a flurry of activity in my house. It is the day of the NATD medal tests but in typical dance mum fashion, that is not the only thing we have to prepare for. My youngest (10) Little Dancer LD has a dress rehearsal for a dance show that she is doing for her school dance troupe, her last show as she has now moved to a new school. Of course, the times overlap!

So at 9am this morning I am sorting her costumes for that, getting her stage makeup on and braiding her hair before my husband, the dedicated dance dad that he is, drops her at the first venue. Now I am getting dresses, pins, shoes, socks etc ready to take with me and my eldest to the medal test later. My husband will then have to collect LD early and race her to the medal test venue.

I have reminded my eldest, (13) Teen Dancer TD, about ten times to make sure she has her dresses, shoes etc ready for the test, at about 1:30pm I start on her hair (luckily just a simple bun for this one) and she mentions that she hasn't got anything ready. 😬 While she is upstairs I check LDs stuff and we rush out of the house - me like I am running from a zombie apocalypse (I hate being late) and TD like she is on a beach stroll. Aaahhhhhh

Upon arriving at the test venue, my husband pulls up having collected LD from the dress rehearsal and she is sobbing! Nooooo, this is not the frame of mind for a medal test! So I send TD in to get changed and spend the next 5 minutes trying to calm the LD...I almost succeeded. She missed her rehearsal to come to the test, apparently this is the end of the world! Pre-teen hormones and the fact that has not been feeling well have exploded as a full-on emotional breakdown.

Luckily the tests were running a bit late so time to get LDs hair out of dutch braids and into a neat bun, done. Then we pop her dress on, I get into her dance bag to get her socks and they are filthy. I mean lovely chocolate mud coloured filthy, and...not only that but they are her big sisters socks so huge on her. Really? So I sheepishly ask if she can do it without socks, the look on the teachers face said it all "errrrr, no".

Luckily the other wonderful dance mums came to the rescue and she went in looking smart, calm and with borrowed socks. Phew! You can't make these things up!

Great news is that all the gang taking their tests did amazingly well, all credit to their hard work, great teachers and partners and the crazy parents. 😁🏆🙄

Just a normal day for another strictly dance mum. X