His First Time on Skates

Having strong recollections of how some of my other kidlets struggled with ice skating when they were Mr. TOF’s age, I mentioned to him several times when he was begging to go skating,”You know, skating is tricky.  It’s harder than it looks.  You can’t just put on skates and go.  You wobble.  You fall.”  Repeat ad nauseum.

Finally at lunch one day Dr. Peds said, “Why are you constantly telling him that it’s going to be so hard?”

Well, I suppose the pessimistic-mother side of my personality was just hoping for a little realism.  Actually, I didn’t have any trouble learning to ice skate at all.  I  did just put on my skates and fly away.  But I had roller skated every Friday in the school gymnasium prior to lacing on ice skates, and I remember the tears and frustration and anger that several others in my family displayed while trying it out for the first few times.

So, we went skating.

And wouldn’t you know it, my coordinated little boy literally strapped on skates and flew away.

He was so happy.  He’s begged to go back at least a hundred times, and is so frustrated that the older kids can walk there themselves but he has to have me with him to go to the ice rink.