What is it About 3rd Graders?

My sister got married this weekend. It was an excellent celebration. I was asked to assist with the ceremony and even became an ordained minister through The American Marriage Ministries and register with the county to be able to sign the paperwork (anyone need to get married?). It was good and tiring. In the words of my fifth grader who was a junior groomsman, "it's much more enjoyable to be a wedding guest than in the wedding party". More work indeed, but there are few times the family is the center of attention and it was nice to catch up with old neighbors and friends.

I did leave the ceremony a little sad though. Sad in realizing that my kids are growing and sad in learning that there seems to be a transition between 2nd and 3rd grade that makes kids notably more bashful. I'm referring to my daughter. The last few years she was a bright spot for me at wedding receptions. Her and I would hit the dance floor and I would twirl her and toss her in our own little corner of the dance floor. That didn't happen this time. Instead the bashfulness took over and I spent a good amount of time "cutting a rug" on the edge of the dance floor trying to pull her in. I couldn't even get her to dance with my sister for the dollar dance. (as a side note, I spent my dollar to dance with the groom, I like making the guy uncomfortable, but in a "all in good fun" kind of way).  I did manage to get her out for the Cha-Cha Slide (see below), but that was it.

I was wondering if it was just her, but I also noticed that her 3rd cousin, who is also in 3rd grade and has attended many of the same events AND has previously danced his butt off, was also bashfully not dancing. At least observing this with both kids has me feeling ok that it's not a "her" thing, but instead some minor developmental transition. Perhaps it correlates with crushes, etc.  I recall my first big crush occurring in 3rd grade and along with it a strong sense of feeling noticed or observed.

I'll take it as a bittersweet indicator that my kids are growing up. Sigh.