Dance fever

My daughter went to her first middle school dance tonight. She's so brave! She has a lot of friendly acquaintances but not really any hard-and-fast friends, and so there was no insurance that she wouldn't just stand in a corner all night and feel left out. But she apparently found a series of different kids to hang out with, danced in various groups, and had a terrific time. I've become so averse to social risk in my old age that it's hard to imagine getting out there in a new situation and having fun, but she did it. That's a real good sign, I think, for her future social growth. Not such a good sign, maybe, is that she liked the sexy way some of the kids were dancing, and was jealous of the girls with long earrings and lots of makeup. Not jealous enough to copy them, yet. But this time, when she said, "It's not my style," she sounded more wistful than assertive.