My Kids Can't Skate!

It's a quiet Sunday afternoon and my daughter and I are looking at Christmas photos of my family in Canada. My 5 year old niece is happily holding up her Christmas gift, proud as a peacock. My daughter turns to me and asks, “What are those?”.

I shoot her a look. The kind of look your mom gives you when you've said something so disgusting, so embarrassing, that you walk yourself up to your room without even being sentenced.

I answer, “Those are skates!”.

Blasphemy......MY child doesn't know what skates are!

Ice skates to be more specific.

If I was in Point-de-l'Eglise, Nova-Scotia, Canada, I would not have to specify, but since I'm here in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the deep south, where ice is as rare as an acadian holiday without a potato, then yes, it's safer to specify.

I come from a place where kids skate before they even learn how to walk.......so to speak.

In her defense I'm pretty sure she know what ice skates are...at least I hope.....it's just seeing them out of context threw her for a loop.

 There is in fact an ice rink about 5 miles from here and I am told that there is some sort of minor hockey league and figure skating in town. However, I'm pretty sure that there are way more cleats and footballs hanging around and utility rooms then there are skates and hockey sticks.

One of my fondest memories growing up is watching all the boys from our neighborhood (neighborhood meaning a 30 mile radius with houses being ½ mile apart) playing hockey on the little pond behind my parents house. Or, going skating with my cousins at our local arena on cold Sunday afternoons.

So naturally, it makes me a little sad to think that my children can't skate.

Granted I could make the drive and teach them, but between gymnastics lessons, dances lessons, dirty diapers and birthday parties, it's hard to find the time...or the envie. (I guess it's not that important to me after all:-))

So I don't see them learning to skate anytime soon, but this I know for sure.....

They do know what a first down is , they could all pronounce the word Atchafalaya before the age of 3 and they can cast their fishing line out 20 feet to that hole where the red fish are hanging out.

It's not skating, but I guess it'll do:-):-) (wink wink)!