Ice-Capades

We took Version 1.0 skating today for the first time ever. Let’s just say it was traumatic for all involved. I think even the zamboni driver was feeling a bit bad near the end.

However, it was about what I expected. Version 1.0 had been talking about “skeeting” all night since we tried on the skates last night, and was super excited until we actually got there. Then the waterworks began.

The nice lady who teaches the class (we’re just doing drop-in for now) had some markers and bubbles and that thankfully kept Version 1.0 happy while she got used to the ice. We did get her standing up and taking a few steps, and Daddy pulled her along in a chair for a few seconds. I’ll take it as progress.

In the end, she didn’t want to leave, as we were disrobing in the skate-taking-off area. She also liked the shiny sheep sticker she got as a prize for enduring the activity (as per usual, she thought all the stickers were for her and we had to humbly return a fistful to the nice lady).

We’re encouraged that the rest of the kids in the class have been skating only since September and are already ready for the pros. They all started out as a blubbering mess like Version 1.0 today. I’m betting that with a few more episodes on the ice, she’ll get tired of the spaz and want to zoom around like the other kids. So we’ll just keep on keeping on.

But why does every introduction to a new activity have to feel like we’re adding to the therapy bill in adulthood? I’m reading a book right now called The Science of Parenting (see? you just have to apply a formula… easy) and apparently our kiddies haven’t yet developed their higher thinking brain parts yet (something to do with synapses and wall sockets… or was that electrical currents?) so new stuff is immediately reverted to the ‘reptilian brain’ which manages the ‘fight or flight’ responses. According to the author, I just need to be more emotionally responsive in order to get her to think logically and reason her way through traumatic situations. I guess a smack on the bum and a “Go get ‘em, Tiger!” doesn’t qualify as emotionally responsive?