Skater Boy

The kids started their new sessions of extra curricular activities last week. Noah is enrolled in swimming and a learn to skate program. Bekah is taking mommy and me swimming and dance classes at the YMCA. Things are really getting busy now!

I was a bit concerned about how the learn to skate program was going to go. Soccer wasn't so much of a hit in the fall, but Kevin and I have decided that we need to expose Noah to as many things as possible until he finds his 'thing'. You have to provide them with opportunities to try new things and succeed, right?!

So, off to skating we went! Noah had been on skates about 3 or 4 times before...and always with Kevin. These lessons are 50 minutes long! The first 20 minutes is instructional, and the last 1/2 hour is free skate. I had no idea how independent these kids were going to have to be! There were only 2 teachers for about 10 kids, so needless to say, they weren't hanging onto anything or anyone most of the time! They just had to figure it out.

One of several falls.......

Picking himself back up again.........

Success!!!

Noah surprised me...he lasted the whole 50 minutes and then asked if he could stay longer. Each day since, he has asked if he can go skating again.

It is interesting, but I think if one of us had been on the ice with him, this would have turned out totally differently. After the first couple of falls, I am sure he would have told us that he wanted to leave and it would have turned into a big meltdown when we refused. But, because we weren't there, he was forced to figure things out and keep going. There was no one else there to lend a hand, so he had no choice. As the hour progressed, Noah realized that he was actually doing pretty well, and he gained a bit of confidence.

It wasn't until the last 15 minutes that Noah even figured out where I was in the arena. Once he did, he hung out right next to where I stood by the boards. Each time he fell, I just laughed and shrugged my shoulders, and he would laugh and get up again.

Noah and his cutie pie friend, B.K. And they are both still smiling!!

I couldn't have been more proud of him. He has come so far.....