Skater Boys

At the end of January, the first graders went ice skating at the local ice skating rink. Jonah and Micah were so excited to go! Weeks before they went, they repeatedly asked that I buy ice skates for them to take on the special occasion, because we only have one pair and they're way too big for them. I checked at D.I. when we went to Idaho Falls, but they were sold out of them. And since we only go ice skating once or twice a year, I knew that buying brand new skates would not be cost-efficient. I told the boys they could just "skate" on the ice with their boots, since that's what they've always done in years past when we've gone. That wasn't a satisfactory response for them, and they weren't happy with my answer, but they were still excited about the prospect of going with their classmates!

When the kids first arrived at the skating rinks, Jonah and Micah started out on the public skating pond with just their boots. They scooted across the ice, and the ice was slicker than slick, so it really seemed like they were skating. They slipped and fell several times, and then they started saying that it would just be "easier" if they were wearing skates instead of boots. I tried to tell them otherwise, but they didn't believe me. Not at first, anyway! They wandered down to the adjoining Hockey Rink, and Micah found an extra pair of skates that someone had brought. He was so happy!! I helped him lace up those black skates, and he got back on the ice.There are several kids in his grade that are hockey players, and they made it look so "easy"! But skating in skates wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. Micah had a hard time standing on his feet upright; his feet kept bending on their sides, and he had a difficult time moving that way on the ice. He finally got a hold of a chair, and discovered that if he walked on his tippy-toes while pushing the chair, he could maneuver himself around the rink that way. But even that only lasted about a half hour, and then Micah insisted that he put his boots back on, because they were actually "easier" to move around in!
Since Micah got to wear ice skates, then Jonah insisted that he get to wear some too. I walked back up to the public pond, and found another extra pair for him to wear. I helped him lace up the white skates, and away on the ice he went.He approached the concept differently than Micah, and tried to take slow and smooth baby steps. He was doing a pretty good job of it, too! He still fell numerous times, but he was determined to be able to skate! He stayed in the skates a little longer than Micah, but he also figured out that it was easier to move around in boots! I've only worn ice skates on the ice once or twice in my whole life, because I'm not very coordinated, and I don't like feeling out of control. So I wasn't very much help with my boys, except holding onto their arms and trying to help them balance. I was so glad that others brought extra skates so that my boys could try skating, and I was really proud of them for trying something new! With or without skates (and regardless of whether they believed my advice or not), I had so much fun watching them on the ice!