3 Lessons I Learned Ice Skating with my Girl

You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!  It’s true!  All kidding aside, let me tell you the story of how I found myself (several DECADES older than the other students) on ice skates amid a bunch of kids taking figure skating lessons at our local ice skating rink.  ​

Our daughter decided about a year ago that she wanted to learn how to ice skate.  We signed her up for figure skating lessons.  For the first 6-week session, I patiently sat on the sidelines watching her and waiting for her lesson to be done.  At some point during that session, I decided ice skating looked way too much fun for me to just sit there and not give it a try myself. I decided to sign myself up for lessons too and have been enjoying skating with my girl ever since.

Growing up in the Netherlands, I never had any fancy skating lessons but grew up skating outside in winter on our local ponds and rivers just like any other Dutch kid. I have special childhood memories of skating past some beautiful, old windmills as my family skated from village to village.  To warm up, we would sip hot choco and split pea soup, sold by local farmers from little booths on the ice. Just like an old-fashioned postcard, really.

Starting my lessons, I couldn’t do any tricks or jumps but felt comfortable skating around. I had the advantage of experience as compared to my daughter but within a couple of months, she left me in the dust being able to move her body in ways my middle aged body was resistant to.  It was humbling for me but so good at the same time!  What a confidence builder for our daughter being able to give me tips! And even though I couldn’t do certain skating skills as easily, I felt grateful to still be able to skate, after suffering from painful spinal issues only a few years ago which ended up in surgery.  I was building my core muscles and cautiously getting stronger every day!  

Encouraging my daughter to advance to higher skating levels, I have since switched to the adult classes and met some really nice grownups who love to skate as much as I do.  I still practice my figure skating skills with my daughter outside of the lesson time and really appreciate that we found a sport we can do together!

​In short, I learned these 3 lessons from ice skating with my girl:

1.  Learning from our kids is good all around! 

• While as parents we may have experience, our kids have other advantages, such as a new perspective, less hesitation to just go for it or less fear to fail (in ice skating: falling).  Allow your child to teach you a new skill or insight.  This role reversal is a great confidence builder for kids and gives us the opportunity to continue to grow and learn!

2.  Don’t give up!

• Keep trying when things get hard! While the road to success or making it to the next level may take some of us a bit longer, you can do it! Break down the process into smaller pieces so you can tackle them bit by bit.  I was holding on to the wall for months practicing my waltz jump. I never thought I would feel confident enough to let go of that wall but guess what…. I can do the waltz jump now! Making progress on our goals feels great and accomplishing the smaller steps to our big goals will eventually still get us there.​

3.  Find opportunities to spend time together, whatever you do!

• As our kids grow bigger, they become more independent. This is definitely a good thing but it becomes more challenging to keep a close connection.  Friends, after school activities, sports…. our kids are busy nowadays!  Sharing an activity my daughter and I both love, has been so much fun and an excellent way to continue connecting with her in a positive way.  Whatever activity you choose, have fun with your child!

Now, I'd like to hear from you. Have you found an activity you enjoy doing with your child?  What is your favorite way to connect with your child in a positive way? I'd love to hear in the comments! Also, if you like this blog post, please share with friends on social media. Thank you!

P.S. As you can see, my new found love for ice skating inspired me to create a cute illustration of a girl on ice skates! This new design is available in my zazzle shop on close to 70 gift items, from party supplies to shirts to home decor (most can be customized or personalized with a name),  so if you’re into figure skating or are looking for an ice skating gift, check it out by clicking this link or the images!