"Get Over Yourself"
By BarBaraPrz
@BarBaraPrz (45658)
St. Catharines, Ontario
April 6, 2009 3:27pm CST
Here's another one for the "Get Over Yourself" files...
A mother in Toronto is whining to the news that her five-year-old daughter was kicked out of dance class
because Mom complained about the choice of music used in one of the routines...
The song in question is Itsy Bitsy Yellow Polka Dot Bikini. Mom thinks it promotes eating disorders because the girl in the song is "ashamed" of her body, and she doesn't want her daughter to grow up in a world where she might feel bad about herself.
First off, the dance teacher took the song from a CD of children's songs. Secondly, the dance theme was about the beach. Thirdly, the girl in the song isn't ashamed of her body, she's just chicken because at the time the song came out, bikinis were new and the girl wasn't used to wearing one.
The dance studio refunded the enrolment fee, and said the daughter would be welcomed back if she wanted to rejoin. What were they to do? Change the song and routine and have to explain to the other kids WHY that mom thinks it's inappropriate and thus put that idea in the kids' minds, or just say "Fine, you don't have to be here."
What would you have done?
3 people like this
12 responses
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
7 Apr 09
Hi Barbara! I think that this Mom was making a big deal out
of nothing! These kids wouldn't have noticed or known anything
about this song! They are only kids! I know about this song
because I grew up with it and it was just the way you described
it to be! This Mom took it completely out of context! So all
she did was take her daugher out of a class that I'm sure
she enjoyed and had to explain something to her that probably
made no sense to her because she is just a child! What a moron
this Mom is! I feel really sorry for her daughter!
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45658)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
7 Apr 09
Well, if it makes you feel any better, I just heard it the one time on the radio.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
7 Apr 09
she gets that whole weight idea from that commercial on tv. The original song is about a girl who is shy about wearing a bikini because as you said ...they were new and girls were not used to exposing so much skin. The mother is way over reacting and probably putting thats in her daughter's head that would not be there otherwise.
1 person likes this
@kprofgames (3091)
• United States
7 Apr 09
Thank you for that - it's a yogert commercial. It was in the back of my head but I couldn't put the pieces together.
1 person likes this
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
7 Apr 09
I would refund the money that hasn't been used for the lesson
but I wouldn't say her daughter is welcome to rejoin
as long as the mother is paying for the course
I am sure she won't stop interfering with the dance lesson
if I had a dance school I wouldn't want people like that enrol
it's not worth the money, plus people like that can disturb other students mood and progress so in the end the school may lose a lot more students if her daughter rejoins
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
10 Apr 09
It just goes to show that if someone wants to whine bad enough they'll find something to whine about. I would have told the mother that her daughter was welcome at any time but she was not.
[b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]
1 person likes this
@crazydaisy (3896)
• Canada
6 Apr 09
I think the mom needs help there's nothing wrong with that song it's her mind I feel sorry for her daughter if she's like that.when she is in her teens she will
dance anything her mom dose not like then she be blowing her TOP because of the music and getting into trouble...
cd
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45658)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
6 Apr 09
Unfortunately, Mom will do her best to curb that behavior in her daughter.
@smartie0317 (1610)
• United States
6 Apr 09
I think the song is inappropriate for reasons that are my own, and for reasons I won't bother getting into here, for little kids. As to what you asked. I don't see why she's mad. You can't exspect them to change it for kid/parent. I could see if it was more parents or if they kicked her out and didn't give her her money back. She can back if she choses to later. I think ahe seems like the type who's only problem is not having a problem if you know what I mean.
1 person likes this
@kprofgames (3091)
• United States
7 Apr 09
LOL - well put "only problem is not having a problem" Aren't there doctors for that? LOL
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
7 Apr 09
oh my god.
people just seem to look for anything nowadays.
it seems like no matter what you do,you could potentially have a lawsuit from somebody.i wouldn't have changed the routine for one child either.
people just seem to look for anything nowadays.
it seems like no matter what you do,you could potentially have a lawsuit from somebody.i wouldn't have changed the routine for one child either.
1 person likes this
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
7 Apr 09
There is nothing wrong with the song. It is lighthearted situation about a modest woman who is shy about exposing all that skin. What is wrong with modesty? Everyone does not have to parade around naked to prove they are not ashamed of their body to prove to this militant momma she is right.
The mother takes away all the innocence out of this fifty year old song. It has a nice dance beat to it and I suppose you can read anything into any song you want to advance your agenda.
1 person likes this
@kprofgames (3091)
• United States
7 Apr 09
I think the instructor did the right thing. Refund the money and welcome the little girl back once her mother grows up.
I don't think that is a childrens song, don't discredit the way the mother thinks about it, but the way she handled it was wrong. I agree to pull the song would be to say this is what "I" think this means, it doesn't have to be preceived as that. To be honest, it isn't what it's about, just what this mother "thought" about it. I mean come on, these are five year old girls here - it isn't like this was presented to a class of 11 and 12 year olds.
1 person likes this
@NuttyMomma (901)
• United States
6 Apr 09
people are crazy! I worked as a dance teacher and sometimes the mom's would be so crazy over music we picked or costumes. As a teacher and business owner you stand your ground - creative control should be determined by the teacher and owner not by a parent. Of course you need to keep in mind what is generally appropriate but like dealing with the general public in any business there are just some people that you are never ever going to please because they are nuts!
@blion23 (403)
• United States
7 Apr 09
I think that some people are just insane and think that they are too important. I really am not sure why someone would be angered about the use of this song and I really do not find it to be inappropriate at all. I don't think that I would have gone to the extent that she gone to even if I was not a fan of the song. Good luck and happy mylotting.
1 person likes this
@valpopa (154)
• Italy
7 Apr 09
What really worries me in this one is the way in which the music was judged based on the bikini thing..it would be ok if we were back in the '60s but not for 2009! So why would the little girl feel bad about herself. How does the mother know her little daughter will become a gorgeous model and bikini will never be viewed as a big thing. I understand the mother would never wear bikini because of her personal reasons but that does not apply for the generations to come...!
1 person likes this
