do your kids know you pole?

minicoopergrl started this discussion · 1/11/2010

I get asked this every now and then. I dont have a pole at home (stupid MINI transmission), but I do go to the studio and play. As of right now they know Mommy goes and works out. They dont know what kind of work out I do, they dont even know im 'famous' on youtube. My oldest has tried to wear my shoes but I tell her no. My question is when do you tell the kids you pole? Mine are 5 and barely 1, so its not that high up in the questioning department but my oldest is in school.

44 replies

untamedshrew · 1/11/2010
there's been a similar thread, try searching under "just for moms and dads". My kids knew when they saw my husband installing the pole. I was a little uncomfortable at first, until I remembered kids are naturally accepting and nonjudgmental. They are taught to have hang ups. The 11 year olds easily accepted mom's dance pole and even play on it. It's exercise and fun time with them; I save the heels, floor work and sexiness for private play. My 16 year old knew what a stripper was, so he took a little more educating; I showed him "classy" pole videos and do my best to show him the athleticism in poling. He's still a little uneasy with the idea, (ewwww- mom's are NOT sexual) but he's taken his friends in to see it- so now I'm possibly the coolest mom in our conservative town. I think it's important that you teach your kids what to think of the pole, or they'll end up buying into the steretypes out there.
chemgoddess1 · 1/11/2010
I have had my 4 year old niece play on my pole as well as my now 14 and 16 year old step sons. I agree with keeping the super sexy limited but I see no reason for kids to grow up not thinking anything major of having a pole in the house.
RoxyPink · 1/11/2010
My kids love playing on mine and I actually encourage it because it is so physically demanding...of course they are only 2 and 6....but I do have a step-daughter who is 16 and when she was living with us she would "practice" with me and I would teach her spins and such...now of course I didn't do the traditional "sexy" dancing but I never tried to hide it. We believe that we should be very open about sexuality in our household...that is not saying that my kids are exposed to things they shouldn't be...but we don't hide it either! 😀
SissyBuns · 1/11/2010
My kids are 13 (daughter) 7 (daughter) and 6 (son) and they all know I pole. I was addicted to pole videos on youtube and here before I got my pole so they saw me watching women do some amazing stuff on the pole before they ever saw my feeble attempts. So they knew what I was shooting for. I pole in front of them all the time. I don't do too much sexy stuff in their presence but if they walk in when I'm in the middle of a hip roll, they say "Ewww!!!!" Then go running out to pretend they are barfing in the hall. We joke about it a lot and it's never been a big deal with them. My 2 little ones are pole masters them selves and my 13 year old thought it was cute until she gave it a try and saw how hard it was...she's not one to work up a sweat. LOL She can do a decent fireman tho 😉
Jenn PoleLush · 1/12/2010
I've been struggling with this as well. I, too, believe kids are naturally excepting and haven't yet associated the "stripper pole" -hate that term- with sex, strippers etc. My son is 8 and he thinks it is the sh*t that his mom has a 'fireman pole' as he calls it, int he house! My daughter is almost three and she does her little spins and such, very cute btw.. 😀 I just don't want my son bringing it up at school and saying anything..but I don't know how to say that to him so I am just leaving it alone for now. My husband seems to think my son will grow up cool with it and then the day he goes to a strip club he will have horrid flashbacks! 😲 Jenn
PoleTickles · 1/12/2010
Santa brought me my pole last year and its up in the kitchen so cant hide it 🙂 I have a 5 year old son who thinks its perfectly normal for a pole to dance on to be in the kitchen. Its only when his friends come round who dont live near and ask questions like is your Daddy a fireman that he gets confused. But he explains no its for mammy to dance on and she can do cool flips (he is a break dancing fan so thats very cool to him) 😀 I hope that because he is growing up with it he will never have a problem with it. I think telling your kids the truth is the best way to go about it usually. (though appreciate theres a big diference between a small child and a teenager...) Rach.
SissyBuns · 1/12/2010
I think that if we as the parents are the ones to exose them to it and they see first hand what "we" do on it there won't be much for them to be uncomforatble about. My 13 year old knows full well what strippers are (thanks public school) and she knows full well that nither myself or any of my dozens of pole friends that she's met are strippers. She's sees what we do and she knows the difference.
kcfl5 · 1/18/2010
I have a 10 year girl. She asked what that pole was in my bedroom. I just got it right before Christmas 09. I told her it is my exercise pole. She asked if she could try. I didn't even show her anything and she climed right up it. Now for me a beginner I couldn't even climb it. Then she came down...I had to help her. Then she starts to swing around and says to me look you can swing on it too. My 2 teenage boys don't know it is in my bedroom. If they do then they haven't said anything. I am also taking classes I just tell them I am going to the gym or exercise class. Now what I wonder is what my parents or in laws think if they happened to see it.
Trena · 1/19/2010
My son is 5 and has known about me poling since he was 4 because I have a pole in my house. He has even watched pole dancing videos with me on youtube and thinks its cool. I think its best to be honest with your kids so that they dont think there's something to hide about pole dancing! I dont do sexy dances around him but he has seen me work out on the pole. He loves playing on my pole too! Especially when I put it on spinny mode! 😀
DeaconJungleCatPoles · 1/27/2010
Simply put: they way you treat pole dancing is the way your kids will learn to treat pole dancing. If you hide it and sneak around like it's dirty then that's what they will grow up to believe. Everyone brings their kids over to play on my pole. They don't dance on it dirty or sexy. They don't even know how to think of it as that. Only adult minds make those kinds of associations. They just see it as an indoor playground. And everytime my neices and nephews come over, I teach them tricks. Check this video out of us from last summer! It's a riot!! 😂 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ul3BoawK04 🐱
Sapphirecatzeye · 1/28/2010
That is a really cute video! 🌸
Trena · 1/29/2010
Simply put: they way you treat pole dancing is the way your kids will learn to treat pole dancing. If you hide it and sneak around like it's dirty then that's what they will grow up to believe. Everyone brings their kids over to play on my pole. They don't dance on it dirty or sexy. They don't even know how to think of it as that. Only adult minds make those kinds of associations. They just see it as an indoor playground. And everytime my neices and nephews come over, I teach them tricks. OMG SOOOO true! Well said J.C!
hookedonpole · 5/26/2010
The funny thing is I'm probably older than most here and my son is 25! He has lived away from home for seven years now. My husband encouraged me to tell him what my "new workout" is. When I did he responded,"Mom I will never be able to look at you the same!" When he has visited I've asked him if he would like to see anything I do, which quick response was NO! haha I showed him a basic spin or two, but that's as far as he'll see his mom do. He knows I do it for fitness, however, he IS 25. The clincher is for Christmas this past December, he gave me an Intermediate Pole DVD which was a perfect gift!!! It was so funny. We have a good laugh about it.
heathalynne · 11/21/2010
The funny thing is I'm probably older than most here and my son is 25! He has lived away from home for seven years now. My husband encouraged me to tell him what my "new workout" is. When I did he responded,"Mom I will never be able to look at you the same!" When he has visited I've asked him if he would like to see anything I do, which quick response was NO! haha I showed him a basic spin or two, but that's as far as he'll see his mom do. He knows I do it for fitness, however, he IS 25. The clincher is for Christmas this past December, he gave me an Intermediate Pole DVD which was a perfect gift!!! It was so funny. We have a good laugh about it. That is hilarious! My little brother is around the same age and is disgusted whenever he sees pics in facebook. He didn't even want to look at my recent non-pole related photoshoot! Lol Back to OP, my 7 (soon to be 8 ) year old daughter knows and encourages it. She's been doing spins and climbing on my pole since she was 4. I never dance in front of her, but she does see me do a trick or 2. She likes looking at vids and pics with me.. Mine and others. My favorite is, "Ooh! Can you do that mommy?" She also knows not to talk about it in school.
MissChiefNYC · 11/21/2010
The pole in in the living room area, and my little one is constantly playing on it. Shes 5. My 13 year old doesn't pay much mind to it. I tend not to dance when the y are around though, because the little one constantly get s in my way! I'm not embarrassed, they're not embarrassed.
nymphdancer · 12/1/2010
my kids know it the pole is in the middle of the living room and even went with us to disney and was put up in the condo 😲
Stacy · 12/1/2010
Yes, of course. My son is 3, and he takes a spin occasionally. I don't do serious pole around him because its dangerous though. My son has a thing for women who like to shake it! He thinks Mad Madam Mimm from "The Sword in the Stone" is all woman when she transforms herself all purdy-like and bumps her hips. On the contrary, when we hide interests/hobbies from our children we give them an idea that pole fitness (and other accomplishments) is something to be ashamed of; depending on perspective and circumstance of course. I don't know if I would openly have a pole up in my living room if my son was entering puberty though.
strawberryss · 12/15/2010
Simply put: they way you treat pole dancing is the way your kids will learn to treat pole dancing. If you hide it and sneak around like it's dirty then that's what they will grow up to believe. Everyone brings their kids over to play on my pole. They don't dance on it dirty or sexy. They don't even know how to think of it as that. Only adult minds make those kinds of associations. They just see it as an indoor playground. And everytime my neices and nephews come over, I teach them tricks. Check this video out of us from last summer! It's a riot!! 😂 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ul3BoawK04 🐱 yes jungle cat! Thanks for that. This is also the way I see things but can't seem to get hubby on the same page, first thing out of his mouth is "STRIPPER POLE". Pole just went up at my house this week, but he is freaking out about he kids touching it. My stepson(18) wants on it really bad and dad freaked on that said nope is for girls. then freaked when 3yo daughter started doing her little tricks. he said i was going to turn her into a stripper before she's even 12. i have been really angry about his attitude. The only one of the kids that had any reservations about it was my 9yo (where he learned about stripping is beyond me, thank you plaground) but when i explained to him that it wasn't just for that and showed him videos (chinese pole, martial arts pole, and of course Veena's pole family dance) he is okay with it now. My little boys (7, 5) don't care and looooove playing on the pole. IDK how i'm going to get that preconceived notion out of DH's head. ugh, piggymen! 🙊
calipolepixie · 1/19/2011
My little ones don't exactly get it yet ie they dont associate it with strippers or anything...they just know I use it to dance and for exercise. My little ones also LOVE doing moves on the pole and can't pass by it without spinning around it. I've taught my 6 yr old son a few spins and poses which he has nailed. My 3 year old isn't as apt as my 6 year old on the pole yet but she is trying to learn some moves :) I believe honesty is the key with kids and like most have said if you act like there is nothing wrong with poling(which there isnt), then your kids will see nothing wrong with it either! On the other hand, my 18 year old who moved out a few months ago mind you...thinks its gross that i pole dance he strongly believes that moms are not supposed to move like that nor should they be sexy only strippers are allowed lol. He also getsHHeHealso getsHeHe is also a little weirded out that the little ones can do moves on the pole...last time he visited over xmas though I got him to try a couple of holds on the pole to show him that it is very athletic and hard to do! I showed him some of the chinese pole dance vids as well and he was a little impressed by that. Granted, he's still not completely sold or ok with his mom doing it doing it but he did think some of the chinese pole work stuff was cool. My pole is smack dab in the middle of our living room and my husband always offers to take it down when we are expecting visitors but I always say nope leave it up and I am honest about the fact that I pole when people ask. Most of my husbands family and mine know that I pole, some are weird about it but most are cool about it. The only time i take my pole down is when the landlord or maintence team is supposed to come into our apt other than that my pole is like a piece of our furniture lol
AmiSue · 1/20/2011
My son is 4 and my daughter is 2 and even though my pole is somewhat out of the way in our spare room, the minute they see me putting on my shoes they start running to the "pole room" to help mom practice on the "fireman pole". Mostly they just run around it but they absolutely LOVE for me to slide them down from the top. I would prefer that they weren't so knowledgeable about my pole, especially my son because he's very chatty, but it's impossible to hide anything from their insatiable curiousness lol. I must say that I was a little, um, surprised, when we went to a McDonalds with a play park in it and instead of playing with the other kids on the intended equipment, my daughter was on the support pole O.O http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/Amib1179/Em.jpg
vamp79 · 1/20/2011
Amisue ~ that's just too freakin cute!!! My 4 year old used to spin on my pole all the time but she has goten tired of it (I got my pole last year in June). My 11 year old daughter knows that I do it for exercise and the challenge. I dont do anything sexy on it unless they are both in bed so to the its really one more equipment that i use in the garage.
3amethyst · 1/20/2011
I second the "Too Cute~ness " of the photo! Love it!
Aquarius80 · 1/21/2011
This photo is adorable. I have showed it to all my coworkers who know I pole.
Tiger Leahy · 4/26/2011
our son is 11 months old so he's gonna grow up with a pole in the house...he'll probably be better at it than me by the time he's 3 lol he already tries to climb the kiddie fireman pole at the park! neither myself, my hubby or any of my sisters or mates have ever seen anything wrong with pole fitness....it actually shocks me more when ppl are uneasy about telling others they pole!
RM2012 · 5/25/2012
My kids are only little (daughter 3, son 2, youngest son 8 months) but the physio thought it was brilliant when she came for a home visit, as our son has recently learned to work (he was a 25 weeker) - around the pole!! :-D My daughter loves to climb it and they think it's a piece of play equipment. I used to work as a dancer and that is of course something I'd never want for my little girl, so for me I love that she can learn how to dance if she wants to without any sexuality, that it's just for fun and fitness. Hubby thinks it's great for the kids to grow up around too :-)

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