Parenting Confession: I don’t want to teach my child to roller skate….

I know, that sounds awful, mean, selfish and very un parent like.

It’s not that I don’t want to teach her, more like I can’t and have no clue what I am doing.

About two weeks ago, Big Girl was invited to a roller disco, with a school friend. She borrowed a pair of skates, and went off with her friend and their mum, and by all accounts had a fabulous time, even if she did moan about having sore legs, a sore bottom, and stiff knees for three days afterwards, and was covered in bruises from falling over.

She’s really keen, she wants to go again, and she wants her own roller skates. Apparently, I am supposed to be leaping with enthusiasm, about this, and be teaching her and helping her practice.

I cannot, myself, skate. I have zero head – feet co ordination, if you put either blades or wheels on my bottom half, I fall over, I just cannot manage to skate, and the one time I did try and roller skate, I spent more time on my bottom, than on my actual feet, hated it, and have never wanted to try it again. I have NO IDEA how to teach my own child, this skill, as a result. I vaguely have an idea that she needs to bend her knees, and lean forward slightly, but that may be skiing, and not actually roller skating. I keep telling her how to move her feet, but my telling her, and her actually doing it, are two different things. I am so not into this particular activity, and my heart sinks when I think that I should be helping her more. I am encouraging her, and praising her, and we have looked a few YouTube videos, together, of learning to skate, but frankly, my heart is not in it. I am secretly hoping she will get fed up and not want her own skates, but she is not my daughter for nothing. Shall we say, ahem, slightly stubborn, and determined, perhaps? So I know she will want to carry on, and I will try my best to do what I can to facilitate this new hobby, even if it is just cheering her on, and anointing her bruises and being sympathetic when she falls over.

So, I am a bad parent, I know. I am sure I could muster more joy. After all, it’s good exercise, a great skill to learn, and fun. Just so not my thing, that I feel utterly out of my depth.

Fortunately, LSH has taken on more of the task, and between us we have managed to get her a bit of practice in, and build her confidence. He’s far more patient than me, and she did really well, this afternoon, on our outing, as you can see from the pictures.

My girl, if you are reading this, in 10 years time, please know, that I love you, and that whatever you do, I am so proud of you, and I apologise for my lack of enthusiasm for his particular hobby, you chose. Any other activity, I would have been far better at teaching you. Thank goodness Daddy came to the rescue! 🙂