Middle School Dance

My son came home from school on a Friday and said, “I’m going to the dance.”

I very intelligently replied, “What?”

I tried to get him to see that he would be safer better off and I would worry less he would have more fun if he went to a family game night with us.

No way. He said the dance would be fun.  He needed $4.

My interrogation began. Who would be there?  Did he know what happened at dances?  What friends of his were going?  Would his learning support teacher, Ms. H., be there?  He was quite tired of my questions until I asked him one that he knew.

“When does it start?”

“6:30.  And I want to be there early.  They’ll have snacks.”

Sigh.

I told my husband that our boy was going to the dance.

He replied, “But he doesn’t have any  money.”

“I’ll give him the money,” I replied.

“But sweetie… I’m concerned.”

“Me too. But our boy is asking to do something that other middle schoolers do and I want to support that.”

So we agreed to let him go.

I drove him to the middle school.  We stood outside with a group of very loud kids until the doors opened.  And yes, I walked in with him. And yes, I spoke with the principal and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Ms. H.  Yes, I made sure I had “spies” to give me a full report of what happened and yes, I made him tell me my cell phone number three times in case he got bullied and needed to come home. And yes, I did leave.  And YES, I did worry.

Turns out he had a great time.  He, like most of the middle school boys, simply walked around the dance floor eating candy and drinking soda.  He told me he danced fast and he danced slow.  And he told me that he wants to go to the next one.

My boy is growing up.  He cares now about doing normal middle school stuff.  He’s becoming independent.  And that gives me hope.