Operation: Recreation

Day 29: TAKE THE KIDS ROLLER SKATING FOR THE 1ST TIME

The last time I went roller skating was when I was a camp counselor during a summer off from college. I was holding a child’s hand in each of my own, and another child was dragging behind me, hanging onto my shirt. When the little girl behind me fell down, she neglected to release my shirt, and I went crashing down with her. But I didn’t want my full body weight to crush her, so I shifted in such a way that I fell beside her instead of on top of her. That shift strained something in my knee, leaving me on crutches for the next several weeks.

Wow, that was many, many years ago. I figure it’s time to get up on those skates again, this time with my C’s in tow. Let’s hope I can leave the rink without crutches this time.

Roller skating with a 2- and 5-year-old for the first time was, let’s say, interesting. Big C spent the hour either hugging the wall or yanking my arm out of its socket. I contemplated prying his death grip off my hand and just giving him one big shove, but I’m pretty sure that would have traumatized him enough that I’d never get him back in skates ever again. He literally crawled off the rink when it was time to go.

Little C, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with me and practically skated around the rink by herself. She walked right onto that rink unassisted, without bothering to look back to see if I was following. She held my friend’s hand but wasn’t interested in mine. If it wasn’t already a half hour past her bedtime, I think she would have kept going and going, like the little Energizer bunny that she is.

Isn’t it amazing how dissimilar your children’s personalities can be? How is it possible that the C’s were derived from the same 2 parents, yet they are so ridiculously different? Tonight’s adventure epitomized the kids’ distinct personalites. Big C is the cautious one, the perfectionist who avoids engaging in activities unless he knows he can master it. (Hence the fact that when he finally decided to start walking at 15 months, he was running.  I swear he waited that long just to make sure he got it right.)  Then there’s Little C, my grandstander, my daredevil who jumps into a pool regardless of whether or not someone is waiting for her at the other end. (Hence the fact that she started walking at 10 months and potty trained herself before she was 2 and a half.)

Anyway, overall, the roller skating was a fun experience. And I walked out of the rink with no crutches.