I used to be a reluctant Nutcracker Mom

Many years ago, when I started Toothsome #2 in dance, I did it because I wanted her to have good posture.  I have one sister with excellent posture and she was the only one of us who took dance.  I decided that was a good enough reason for my child to take dance.  

I picked our studio based on the fact that it was close to my house, the owner taught the little girls classes (as opposed to the teacher being one of the girls from the older dance classes like several dance studios I looked into), and it's focus on ballet.   In the Fall, Toothsome #2, at the age of four was cast as a "taffy dancer" in The Nutcracker.  This studio does The Nutcracker annually and every child that dances in the studio participates in it.  They do three performances--Friday night, a Saturday matinee and Saturday night.   As a mother, with at the time, two other kids (one being a baby), that seemed like a huge commitment.  But, I liked the idea of her participating in it and so we went with it.   

Oh the drama (mostly mine) as The Nutcracker rehearsals started stacking up and I realized that my daughter's part was in the 2nd act making her perform after 8:00 pm (her bedtime).  I grumbled; I complained; I said more than once that this dance instructor/studio owner was insane.  (Sorry Barbara, I was wrong).   

Then, came the performance.  It was so beautiful!  It was so fun!  The older girls were beautiful dancers. The owner cast different leads at each performance, so all of the older girls got to have lead parts.  Toothsome #2 was entranced the whole time.  We couldn't leave after she danced because we had to watch the whole thing.  And, because my other kids were boys, I got one-on-one time with Toothsome #2 all weekend, while Dentist Husband had the boys at home.  That weekend, I went from reluctant Nutcracker mom to becoming its huge advocate.  

I now have two girls.  This year, Toothsome #4 got to be in two different scenes.

 A cookie

and a Peppermint Stick  (with Toothsome #2 being a Russian).

Honestly, Nutcracker weekend has become one of my favorite weekends in December.  It is magical.  And,  I now see it as a true gift from this dance studio to allow these girls to all experience being in The Nutcracker.  The owner, her family (her husband always plays Mother Ginger) and many others freely give of their time to make this a wonderful experience.  I so love Nutcracker weekend.