Ice Skating with Children Is Like a Car Wreck Waiting to Happen

We have 45 minutes of practice ice before group, and there are only a couple of parents on the ice. I like for parents to be on the ice with their kids, because sometimes it's just so sweet to see a mom or dad working with a kid learning a new skill.

Awwww.....

But if there are no parents, and no rink guard, no cones and the coaches don't step in....it's Kids Gone Wild!

I've written about this before, but kids have no idea that anything in the world exists outside of the 3 foot bubble that surrounds them. They don't see you coming, they just see where they want to go and they go there. The best thing I can compare our practice ice to, is  a multiple car pileup.

 

at least none of our kids have burst into flame

Sometimes, I have to dodge several kids going different directions in the space of a couple of feet...

It is frustrating to me that I will never, ever be able to get a single complete dance pattern on LTS practice ice, or be able to do any backwards work down the length of the rink. But I realize, that the kids see me as frightening. I'm big, I'm slow and I'm always there. I'm sure some of them have thoughts about me falling on them. 

Here I Come!