Should I sign her up for Jazz chug?

LisaS

Sun, Nov 13 2011, 4:13 am

Hi Everyone,

I did not sign up any of my kids for chugim this year. We are living very frugally and in the past I never felt the chugim were necessary. WE did send the kids to swimming lessons and english classes in the past (with help from the grandparents) but ballet lessons type of chugim always seemed a bit frivoulous to me.

This year I have one daughter who is attending a subsidized Torah class 3 x's a week and loves it. And my older daughter is going to tutoring for homework twice a week. All was well.

Then yestreday my older daughter (3rd grade) told me that almost all the girls in her class go to Jazz class. She counted that 21 out of 27 girls are going, and that is what they all talk about during recess. My daughter feels a bit left out. My younger daughter said that a few of her friends are going to ballet lessons, but it isn't the majority like with my older daughter. I told the girls that next year when Abba is working, iyH, we will send them to chugim.

After they went to sleep I discussed with my husband. He thought we should reduce the tutoring to once a week and use the extra money to pay for the Jazz class. Then it would be an incentive for her to work on her homework. He really felt that if "everyone is doing it" we should have our daughter feel excluded.

While I see his point, jazz class just doesn't speak to me. As it is we are living very fruagally and seems like a lot to spend on just fun.

I thought of possibly calling the other moms who hadn't signed up for the dance classes and make our own little free chug for the girls, run by the moms. I was thinking of a cooking chug, and then the recent post about parsha recipes made me think that we could do it by parsha. I would be willing to host every week if the other moms would not. The main thing is that the girls should feel good about themselves and have what to talk about too.

My daughter is shy and could always use a little boost socially.

Looking forward to hearing what y'all think!

merelyme

Sun, Nov 13 2011, 4:25 am

How much does the jazz chug cost?
Would your dd really do the work on her own if you'd cut one tutoring lesson and send her to jazz chug instead?
Are the only ones not going the "less popular" girls?
Could you make your chug at time when some of the girls in the jazz chug - those your dd would like to be friends with - could also come?

chanchy123

Sun, Nov 13 2011, 4:28 am

I don't think I'd cut the tutoring for a chug that's really just for fun. If she needs the tutoring she should have it. I think a mom chug is a great idea, you could even interest some of the moms of the girls going to jazz.
That way it's not a us vs. them thing.

chanchy123

Sun, Nov 13 2011, 4:28 am

LisaS

Sun, Nov 13 2011, 4:59 am

That's a good idea to try to include some girls from the jazz class. I'd have to think who to invite. Maybe I'd let each of my girls invite 3 or 4 friends. Probably the girls with more laid back moms. I don't want it to be like an exclusive chug that you need an invitation for, I just don't think I could handle more then 8 kids (plus my own two younger ones.) I am not the teacher type at all, just an enthusiastic mom.

Someone asked how much the chug costs - I think it is between 180-200NIS a month (can't remember the exact amount.) It may not sound like a lot of money until you are living on one Israeli salary.

As for the homework, BH she has improved a lot!!! My husband looks at it as a crutch whereas I see it as quite necessary.

LisaS

Sun, Nov 13 2011, 5:04 am

Merelyme - you asked "Are the only ones not going the 'less popular' girls? "

I don't think so. Since most of the class is going, it isn't one group or another.