Skating (or Hockey) Time

So Nicholas is now on his second session of Tot Learn to Skate through City of Mentor. He actaully already passed this class but we used rental skates when we did it. He took about 30 seconds of Tot Hockey when he fell on his hockey skates and couldn't get back up. At that time (he was only 4) we decided to forgo hockey a little bit longer. Over the summer he started asking when he would be able to play hockey again. We compromised and put him back in Tot 1 only this time he would wear his hockey skates so he could learn not to rely on his toe kick so much. I gotta say...everything is going much better this time. He's really enjoying his lessons and actually can't wait to go back every week. Here's some video of him during his lessons...

While we were at Nicholas skating lessons I noticed the signs for Playdate on ice every Tuesday morning. Well...I don't want to make the same mistake with Charlie as I did Nicholas and wait too long to get him on the ice...I want my boys to skate now!!! So this morning, Charlie and I experienced our first skating session. I have to say he did pretty well. The nice thing about the playdate is that they have buckets for the kids to push around or ride on. (or in Charlie's case, kick every time I get near the bucket to lean him on it so it goes sailing across the ice and I have to hold him up that much longer!) He was a little apprehensive at first but I think he enjoyed himself. When I asked him if he wanted to come back next week he said "Uhhh...WES!" So I think we'll keep trying it week to week. Here's a litle video of Charlie pushing his bucket...

Now coming from a past figure skater...

Only three parents showed up for the playdate. Charlie and I were the first ones there so we were the only ones on the ice for the first ten minutes. If I wouldn't have had to hold Charlie up I would have gone nuts. Do you know how long it's been since I've had a whole ice rink to myself?!! My feet were itching to get moving. A couple of time I was able to carry Charlie around the rink so I could get up a little speed and sometimes he just sat on the ice while I (literally) skated circles around him, but all in all there wasn't much I could do. It's fun to be able to share a sport I love with my sons though. I'd rather see them play hockey than skate around in figure skates but I think in the coming years it will be a lot of fun to go skating with them. So until the time comes when they don't want to skate with me anymore because all of their friends are there and it's embarrassing I'm going to keep bringing them to the ice rink and keep encouraging them to play hockey for as long as they want.