Derby Dance

One of the things Student Council was in charge of this year at Yardley's school was the Derby Dance (the last two weeks have been the KY Derby Festival here in the Louisville area -- the kids are even out today for Oaks Day -- the fillies races.) We haven't let Yardie go to the dances at school because we felt like she was too young, and that 14 would be a more appropriate age. But because she was one of the kids in charge of it, she needed to be there to help out. I chaperoned at the dance, which was a lot of fun. I like watching the kids -- it was a lot like the dance in the movie "Sixteen Candles." Seriously, there was even a girl in a body brace, and a girl that was at least 5'10" who was walking around with her arm around a boy that was maybe 5' tall.
Yardie wasn't going to dance with anyone but her girlfriends, which she did most of the night, but I asked her what she was going to do if a boy asked her to dance, and she said she didn't know....and would I let her dance. I told her that I'd let her since I was there, thinking it was pretty safe that no 6th grade boy would have the nerve. I couldn't believe it when I saw her walking onto the dance floor with a boy she'd been friends with in class last year, during a slow dance! Although I was a nervous wreck during the whole dance, I have to admit it was super cute. I was so glad to have been there for it, I know it's something she'll remember for the rest of her life. I don't think we'll let her go to any more dances, but I'm glad she got the opportunity this time. She and her friends from Student Council all dressed up and wore beautiful Derby hats. It was nice to see them all looking like young ladies.