tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679510245284968389.post3794393214353683064..comments2024-03-20T05:41:12.410-04:00Comments on The Ice Doesn't Care: Taking the Kids Ice Skating For the First Time--Skating in Rental SkatesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679510245284968389.post-17617913276023646952015-01-07T19:25:27.003-05:002015-01-07T19:25:27.003-05:00Those are all great additional suggestions! I just...Those are all great additional suggestions! I just started out meaning to rant about rinks passing out broken skates, but you all really made this a complete post.<br />Thanks !Babbette Duboisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05721808053479678691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679510245284968389.post-53965363735974849462015-01-06T20:20:48.715-05:002015-01-06T20:20:48.715-05:00Great Suggestions!
In addition to teaching skati...Great Suggestions! <br /><br />In addition to teaching skating, I also work at the rink skate guarding and at the rental counter. Something else that has become way too common is people skating with their smartphone in one hand and trying to "help" their child skate with the other. Please put your phone either in your pocket or just leave it off of the ice all together. I understand that you might want to snap a picture or two...and I am always happy to take the photo for the public skaters.<br /><br />Also, if your rink does have the gliders/walkers for beginners to use....they are usually intended for quite young children. Make sure that you are within arms reach and have them stand up straight and just push it for balance. I have seen kiddos flip over the front of the bars....and it is not a good sight. <br /><br />One last suggestion is to arrive at the session right away. If it is a multi-hour session, the last half of the session is usually a MAD house. If you arrive early then you will get your pick of the skates. At the beginning of the session, I am always trying to make sure I put people in our best skates but as the pairs in the popular sizes dwindle, I have no choice than to give out the pairs that I think would be best served in the trash. <br /><br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679510245284968389.post-77375731070440052262015-01-05T14:17:23.902-05:002015-01-05T14:17:23.902-05:00Can I also add that if your rink offers skating ai...Can I also add that if your rink offers skating aids such as penguins please don't use them. Either your child is too small to be able to push them around in which case all they are doing in leaning as far forward as possible to get enough force on them for them to move (and have we ever seen anyone skating on their toepicks at a 45 degree angle to the ice???)...or they are much bigger than the penguin in which case they have to bend in half (also a really good skating position!!). There is no way that they will ever learn anything about how to stand up on ice by pushing a lump of plastic around. <br /><br />Balancing your child on the penguin and pushing them round the ice is also not recommended!!! It's an ice rink not a set of dodgems. The horror of the rink that actually rents out "seals" for children to sit on while their parents push them around is still with me!<br /><br />Babies under 2 can skate on strap on double blades...they have about as much edge as a banana but will keep the little ones balanced enough to walk around on the ice and think they are doing it.<br /><br />If your child is really small then holding their hand right up past their head because that's where it goes when you hold hands is going to pull them right off balance too! <br /><br />Oh and make sure that a) you haven't got really thick socks on - it doesn't actually prevent blisters, b) your socks/trousers aren't tucked into the boots with big lumps of material pressing on your legs c) your skates are done up reasonably tightly ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP...d) your laces are not dragging on the ice under your blades.<br /><br />Don't wear long flowing scarves that other falling beginners can grab onto...<br /><br />AND DON'T CHEW GUM (pet hate anyway...but the thought of beginners chewing gum on the ice, falling over and choking terrifies me)...MKPnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679510245284968389.post-15129107182304550742015-01-05T11:58:01.133-05:002015-01-05T11:58:01.133-05:00Generally good ideas. I would add unless the bike ...Generally good ideas. I would add unless the bike helmet has a flat back (like a skate board helmet) it's not a good idea. Rachel Plotkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12076026312733353282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679510245284968389.post-88776734437670703382015-01-05T09:02:46.020-05:002015-01-05T09:02:46.020-05:00Great post, Babbette! The other thing parents need...Great post, Babbette! The other thing parents need to keep in mind is that if they want their young babies (under 2 years old) to skate, then the parents SHOULD NOT CARRY THE KID ON THE ICE! I cannot emphasize this enough. Although I am extremely comfortable on the ice, I still wouldn't carry a baby in my arms while skating. It's so dangerous - especially if the parent isn't stable on the (cheap) rental blades.Eva @ Eva Bakeshttp://www.evabakes.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com