The Back Spin improves, slowly but steadily. He's getting there, and this added time is a blessing and a relief from the pressure he's been feeling.
Nonetheless, he was bummed about not passing. "I knew I would do terrible."
"You did great," I said, very happy about things. "That Dance Step was good, and you just need to get those toe loops off the ice a bit more. You're doing fine!"
"No one passed," said Stitch, as the idea dawned on him that maybe this isn't easy for everyone but him. It's hard for everybody.
"That's okay, too," I shrugged it off. "More time to learn things, get them right and polished. Let's go home to change clothes, I've got a skate sharpening appointment for you today."
Sometimes I think I'm the only person in the rink who isn't in a rush, and who isn't interested in holding the class levels as a ranking system. And even as I was happy Stitch would have more time for instruction in things that he needed to work on, I was anxious lest others judge him for what they might perceive as a failure.
I've given up judging other kids. I just don't care anymore. My view has become focused as a laser on Stitch, and so long as he's doing well in relation to others in his peer group (as in, everyone seems to be on par with each other) I just don't care. But I know others don't think that way, that there are people who may hold this against him in some way. He's just a kid. Be catty at me all you want, I'm used to it, but don't look at my kid.
At any rate, I cut music and costume pieces, I delivered CD's to Coach and we rescheduled the weekly lesson time to morning.
That's right, we're on for Tuesday mornings. After watching two girls collide on two backwards spirals one Wednesday evening, I decided I'd had enough of crowded ice, grumpy monitors, oblivious skaters and irritable coaches. Stitch isn't pleased with the idea of getting up that early, but I told him it's just one day a week and I'd do whatever he needed to help him with the early hour.
I'm seeing a lot of pancake wrapped sausages in my future.
Stitch would walk through fire for one of these.
You should become a monitor!
ReplyDeleteYes, yes! It's easier to wake a child with the smell of cooking salted pork products than with an alarm.
ReplyDeleteFor early morning, have everything packed as much as possible the night before. Light, sugary snack for the way there to boost energy - a small choc chip muffin, yogurt with fruit, etc. - something more substantial for the ride to school. Hot chocolate works both ways. Protein to get him through until lunch time after the workout in the AM.
And yes, everyone is on their own schedule. My daughter just got new skates that are going to take a while to break in. She asked if she could bow out of the holiday show - she just wanted more time with the new skates. I said, A-ok! Everyone has their own timeline and needs.