January 22, 2025
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

`Pizza dance’ inappropriate

I am writing to express my great concern over a dance which is being sponsored by the Presque Isle Recreation Center. Your paper included this as part of the events to be held the week of spring vacation.

Where most of the Recreation Department’s programs are healthy, age-appropriate activities, I take issue with holding a “pizza dance” for grades 3 to 5. This type of socialization is developmentally premature and sets up unrealistic expectations of children in that age group. It’s not bad enough to have junior high proms complete with dinner, corsage, and parental chauffeur. We now need to begin introducing boy-girl activities in grade school.

Those same parents who get “such a charge” out of sending their 8-year-old off to a dance will be the same ones who are upset when they have a “boy crazy” adolescent who wants to date at 13.

If these parents need so desperately to live vicariously through their children, can’t they at least wait a few years and let their kids enjoy being kids first?

I am one parent of a third grader who will not be attending. Pamela R. Glidden Westfield


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