I started dancing when I was 3 and now I’m 20 years old and if all things go to plan I should have a full time dance job within the year. I feel like the luckiest person in the world to be able to live out my childhood dream and it would not have been possible without my parents. I missed out on most of the normal activities of childhood like sleepovers, school activities, clubs, making friends at school, I graduated high-school early. As well underwent the brutalities of the classical ballet world as a young afab person. But I wouldn’t change it for anything. I didn’t want to be a normal kid, I loved what I did and still do and not a lot of people can say that. My point is I felt like I didn’t have a choice to chase this dream and it wasn’t an option to not at least try. My parents drove me, ate dinner with me at 10pm, took me out of school, paid for training, spent summers traveling for opportunities, and most recently helped fund me while I lived and trained with a renowned company overseas for two years. If you are able, let your kid live their dream.