Taking a tumble

Holden started a tumbling class today. Unlike the 'Mom (or Dad) and Me" class we've been participating in at the Rec Center (where he's one of the oldest kids)... This is sans parents, and he's the youngest in the class.

After today I think it's best for me not to watch. He's got the attention span of a three year old (on a good day); and I want to spend most of class intervening to get him to listen and follow directions.

Oddly enough, the best "following instructions" came after they did "spider crawls" up the wall. To set it up, picture your back a few inches (or feet depending on your size) from the wall. Now bend forward, placing your hands firmly in front of you on the floor. Now use your feet to walk up the wall in a hand-stand-like position until you're in an inverted plank position (you're doing this now, right?) ... Ok now return your feet back to the floor.

So they were supposed to do a spider walk, right? He got his feet up the wall, and then stayed inverted until all the other kids had come down- frankly i didn't know he had the arm strength.

As far as his overall temperament, "Miss Melissa" (who i know is actually married, so perhaps the kids ought to be calling her "Mizz." Anyway, Ms. Melissa told me not to worry about Holden's behavior - saying he really was 'fine,' - as long as I'm not too worried about his gymnastics progression.

I admitted that wasn't my main reason for having him in the class- he's not exactly 'built' like a gymnast.
Holden will likely be over 6 feet tall like his Dad; and more apr to play catch than do a cartwheel. But I love the idea of organized movement, exercise and learning to get along with others--especially without me.

Back to class and one last story:
They're doing a butterfly stretch and each child is to name his or her favorite candy. The first sandwich-grabber says "suckers," followed by the second, third, fourth all mirroring. And so on and so forth until one mentions "chocolate suckers."

Then it's Holden's turn, and he boisterously declares "lollipops!"

From this I can only deduce that Holden is some what of an iconoclast, but in certain situations finds it safer to not operate too far outside the social construct.

Then again, he may have just not known that lollipop is a synonym for sucker.