I had thought about calling this new feature a bunch of different things: - Ice Mom: making mistakes so you don't have to
- Pratfalls, slips and missteps
- Gaffe o' the day
I used to keep lists of this stuff when I was just starting out in something. When I began teaching high school, I made a terrible fool of myself. Once, I taught an entire lesson with my zipper down. The kids kept asking me if there was a fly in the room, but it was December and I had no idea what they were talking about. *sigh*
Well, here's the first of many idiotic things I've done as a new member of our local figure skating club. Please learn from my example! :) Realize that your club might be different, is probably different. If you have some interesting mistakes to share, please send them my way!
Ice Girl wanted to skate after school the other day, but I couldn't send her to the tennis courts on her PIC skates because it was raining and the thoughtless folks at our village's parks department haven't built an enclosed tennis court, let alone an ice rink.
On the spur of the moment, Ice Girl and I hopped in the van and went to the figure skating club ice time. The previous week, some kind soul tried to explain how club ice works for me. If you're new, listen to these kind souls. Sometimes you're so new, like me, that you don't even know the questions to ask. I tried to remember all the stuff about the right of way on the ice, which corners were reserved for jumping, where to spin, and how to avoid the harness jumper. I made sure Ice Girl understood these things, too. I thought we were set. Ho-ho! Not the case.
Right. Ice Girl was happy to add her name to the list of kids on the ice, Ice Mom wrote the check, and Ice Girl skated out onto the ice.
"Which one is yours?" the ice monitor asked me.
"The one in the purple sweatshirt."
The ice monitor squinted and said what I've come to think of as fatal words, "Oh. The one in jeans?"
Yep. Being the dorky newbie that I am, I had no idea that jeans were **gasp** inappropriate. I had the good fortune to meet many club parents that night and the ice monitor introduced me to each of them as the mother of the girl in jeans. Yes, yes. I get it already. Practice skirt and tights.
Did I mention I met the lovely grande dame who is our club's test chairperson? Yep. What did she say to me? "Oh, dear. Your daughter is wearing jeans. You should really get her proper attire."
Newbie lesson: Wear the stinkin' practice skirt and tights or risk having everyone in the club explain the expectations to you. Twice. Each. (I swear, next time I'm going to wear a practice skirt and tights, too. :) )
That's funny...and totally how so many "ice parents" are.
ReplyDeleteI hope you've learned your lesson! I say...if you wanna skate in jeans...SKATE IN JEANS!
Cheers!
Well, bless your heart, Aaron. I'm giving into the peer pressure and putting ice girl in a practice skirt and tights. **Shh...** When she's on her PIC skates at the park she wears - gasp - jeans. (So do I!)
ReplyDeleteThis is funny. Our coach demands the same respect a ballet teacher would get. The girls are in their dresses and tights or in a full body leotard. The hair must be in a bun and there are absolutely NO HOODIES! It is hard to teach teenagers about respect. Her daughter is the one most likely to want to wear jeans.
ReplyDeleteDon'cha just love those rebels? I love the picture of the severe coach's daughter in torn jeans and a hoodie!
ReplyDeleteFrom a more experienced skater, I'd say if she wants to buck tradition, go with other work-out clothes. Social stuff is different at different clubs, but the main things about jeans is they aren't easy to move in, and as Ice Girl gets further into training, skating in jeans won't be practical anymore. But that doesn't mean she has to wear a skating dress and tights - she could wear long workout pants, yoga clothes, leotards. In my day, some of use were even known to wear a leotard with tights and a pair of boys boxers over the leotard. Basically you want her in anything that allows good movement, and in the case of lessons, is tight fitting enough that the coach can observe her technique and body posture easily.
ReplyDeleteHee hee. I'm a newbie also. My daughter attended club ice as a guest today. Guess what she wore? JEANS!
ReplyDeleteUsually I have her change when she heads to the rink, but today she came home from school, grabbed her skate bag and headed out the door with her best bud. Bad mommy forgot to remind her to change her pants! OOOPPS! I am sure some were gaping at her too. Oh well!