? about Mommy and Me class

[rudi]

My little one will be 3 in December, and I was thinking of enrolling her in a Mommy and Me skating class that our local rink has. They will take the kids at 3 either for Mommy and Me or for regular group lessons.

She really likes watching skating with me and jumping around the living room pretending she is skating (she told her grandma, "I'm Michelle!" :roll: ).

My questions are:

1.) Should I do the Mommy and Me class or just put her in regular group lessons for Tots. (I'm afraid of losing my balance and bringing her down w/me if I fall...I'm NOT Michelle; I can only do some crossovers and a waltz jump...LOL)

2.) What kind of "gear" should I get for her. I was thinking of having her use the rental skates; don't want to spend $ on skates, since I don't know if she will still like it once she gets on the ice. Should I get her knee and elbow pads, and a helmet?

In case you still can't tell by reading this, the nervous nelly and overprotective mom awards go to me ;)

Thanks for your advice.

[fadedstardust]

What I notice (and remember from being little and on the ice) is that skating, IMO at least, for a little kid, is something they should learn by themselves (with a coach but no parents) because if the kid gets scared, he/she has to learn to slowly get over that. If you are around to run to everytime he/she falls, it may take much longer and he/she may not progress as well, not make as many friends (which will motivate the kid to come in on days he/she doesn't feel like it), and he/she will become dependent on you to be there for them to skate. Skating for the first time, especially for a little kid, is a scary experience. Watching for the bleachers and coming to the edge of the rink ONLY if something really bad happened would be your best bet- but I'm sure there are many others who will think Mom and Tot class is a great idea. I just don't for the reasons mentioned. Maybe once the kid has gone through some LTS and learned the basics, THEN you two can skate together for fun, along with some group lessons just for the kid. Kind of make it a weekly "fun" time, and then have the kid still in LTS. That way you have both. :D

[skatergirlsmom]

Hi nervous mommy. :) I wanted to let you know that I took my 4 yr old to two 2 hour daytime public sessions for 8 months. I taught her all I knew (which is not much) but I never fell on her. I tried, but never even mastered a crossover. A kindly skate gaurd taught crossovers to my daughter because the sessions were not crowded and he is nice. She picked up on them a lot better than I did. Then I put her in the highest class I could for a 4 year old, which is Tot 3/4. She did so well that they promoted her to Beta. I say give it a shot.

[NickiT]

Having taken both my children onto the ice for toddlers classes at the ages of 2/3 years, I just want to point out that at three they are very young to be taking structured lessons. Certainly with my two, they were happy to go on for 15 minutes at a time but there was no way either would have endured a class lasting any longer. They just do not have the concentration to keep going. I do agree that having mum there with them made them a little more reliant on hanging onto my hand, but the coach was great at encouraging them to skate to me rather than with me. At the end of the day though every child is different and you have to do what you feel is best for your daughter. We didn't have the option of LTS at our rink since most kids who enrol on those are considerably older and bigger and it wouldn't have been safe or appropriate to enrol a tot onto such a class.

Nicki

[Lmarletto]

My daughter started lessons shortly after she turned three and she was also really looking forward to being able to skate, though at the time she wanted to play hockey like her brother. She wore a hockey helmet and light weight mittens, but no other protective gear. At that age I think hitting your head or getting your fingers run over by a skate blade are the biggest dangers in class. I wouldn't bother with any kind of padding. I guess bike helmet are OK - I see a lot of kids wearing them - but since she was planning to play hockey, we just sprang for the hockey helmet.

Our rink didn't offer Mommy and Me, so she took lessons without a parent. The Tot lessons were an excellent combination of games and basic instruction and she did fine. She probably would have done fine in a Mommy and Me class too since she has always bounced right up from any minor fall and never cared for handholding. You should watch both kinds of classes and decide based on what you see. Your skill level sounds like it's more advanced than the average parent tending to a little skater. I wouldn't worry about hurting her.

I wish my daughter wanted to be Michelle. :lol: At age 4 she decided hockey was no fun and she wanted to be Naomi Lang and "dance with a handsome prince". :roll:

[twokidsskatemom]

What I notice (and remember from being little and on the ice) is that skating, IMO at least, for a little kid, is something they should learn by themselves (with a coach but no parents) because if the kid gets scared, he/she has to learn to slowly get over that. If you are around to run to everytime he/she falls, it may take much longer and he/she may not progress as well, not make as many friends (which will motivate the kid to come in on days he/she doesn't feel like it), and he/she will become dependent on you to be there for them to skate. Skating for the first time, especially for a little kid, is a scary experience. Watching for the bleachers and coming to the edge of the rink ONLY if something really bad happened would be your best bet- but I'm sure there are many others who will think Mom and Tot class is a great idea. I just don't for the reasons mentioned. Maybe once the kid has gone through some LTS and learned the basics, THEN you two can skate together for fun, along with some group lessons just for the kid. Kind of make it a weekly "fun" time, and then have the kid still in LTS. That way you have both. :D
I agree.I think most kids do better themselves. At least mine did.

[mdvask8r]

. :lol: At age 4 she decided hockey was no fun and she wanted to be Naomi Lang and "dance with a handsome prince". :roll:

LOL How many of us share that wish!! Hope it's coming true for her. :)

[dbny]

I teach Mommy & Me as well as basic skills classes. Kids vary tremendously in their abilities, attitudes, and motivations. I have seen 2 year old who can stand and march right away and love every minute, I have seen 4 year olds who are like wet noodles and cannot stand up. There are kids of all ages who fall and laugh, and kids of all ages who fall once, cry and never go back.

NickiT is right about structured lessons being beyond most 3 year olds, and they are for some 4 year olds too. In the Mommy & Me that I teach, we do not have the kids skate with the parents until the "lesson" is over. Last year we worked with the kids for 1/2 hour and the parents for 1/2 hour. This year we are calling it "My First Lessons" and inviting the parents to be on the ice for the hour, but lessons for them are not included. Not all of the parents get on the ice, but the ones who do, usually skate with their tot after the lesson. I put "lesson" in quotes, because working with tots is really a matter of playing with them on the ice in ways that encourage them to learn to skate. We often work one on one with a new tot who needs extra help to stay upright or to get up after falling.

Whichever classes you opt for, do get her a helmet and have her get used to it before you go to the rink. I've seen little ones get pinched by the buckle under the chin and be put off skating by that. Helmets are required for all kids 6 and under at the three schools where I coach, and I won't teach a child that age without one. The biggest danger is that the child may fall backwards and take a hard whack to the back of the head. Helmets protect. She really doesn't need any other gear except for gloves that are not too big, and tights (not socks).

Get to the rink early to get the right size rentals (usually one size smaller than her street shoe). Make sure you take her to the bathroom right before the lesson. If the rentals are decent (sharp blades, correct size available), then keep her in them until you can scout either a good pair of used figure skates (should not be more than $30) or buy her new ones, which should be about $50. There is at least one thread here about buying skates for kids, so do read it before buying, and whatever you do, do not buy the hard shell skates.

Good luck to you both, and HAVE FUN!

[backspin]

Well, I've taught lots of tots classes, & tot 'n me classes (what my rink calls them). While it depends on the kid, in general I have to say that the kids in tot 'n me make much more progress than the general tots. Reason? I show them how to do something, then they get individual attention from mom or dad in working on it. In a kid-only class, the quicker ones get it, the slower ones don't, & there's just no way an instructor can take much time w/ an individual kid--so it's more sink or swim for them.

Especially one that young, I'd strongly recommend one session together, then let her go off on her own if she's ready. At that age, it's also an issue of can they focus & work in a group when on their own. Many can't.

I also recommend a helmet (my rink requires them for tots)!!!!! They go straight over backwards on a regular basis. I'd also take her to a public or two before doing anything, to see if she even likes it at all first. You definitely know enough to show her how to march a little, so she can start getting the feel of the skates. Do it off the ice, with the skates on, first----also practice falling & getting up off-ice first. The kids should be told up front--we fall all the time--it's NO BIG DEAL!! Presented that way--here's how we fall, here's how we get up---they don't get upset when they fall for the first time (generally!).

And, you shouldn't worry about falling on her because you SHOULDN'T be holding her up. The very shakey ones get to hold ONE finger--that's it. Otherwise they slump & don't put any weight on their feet & just let you carry them along.

Hope that's helpful!

[dbny]

Well, I disagree just a little with Backspin. I would not take her to a public session first. I have never seen a parent who knew how to support a child without pulling them off balance at the same time. Instead, how about a 20 minute private lesson during a public session. BTW, I've seen lots of coaches also pull a tot's arm way up high to help. I like to hold one hand slightly in front and at the child's waist level and keep the other hovering at the middle of the child's back to prevent those "going over backwards" incidents. That can be a very scary thing and I've had to coax a few tots back onto the ice after it happened, usually with a parent alongside. By keeping the tot's hands at waist level and not actually supporting her, you are allowing her to learn to balance. Meanwhile, your other hand is ready to prevent that nasty fall over backwards, and you can ease any other fall with the hand you are holding. You really cannot tell how your daughter is going to do, either physically or emotionally, until she actually gets on the ice.

[Blosmbubbs]

Rudi, if the tot skating classes don't work out then I suggest you skate with your daughter in the mommy and me class. I see a lot of 3 and 4 year olds and they don't want to skate alone and they cry. I just bring them to the parents cause that's who they feel comfortable with. Also toys and stickers help out if the instructors have them. We used to have bubbles and the kids loved them. To be on the safe side get a helmet and use the rental skates, but make sure you tie them up right have the instructors check them. :) good luck!

[AshBugg44]

Coaching at an ice rink with no mommy & me class, I've definately seen that kids without their parents tend to do best. There was one boy whose mom skated with him during class (we allow this if the parent feels it is best) and even if the boys 2nd 8 week session of class, he could not and would not skate by himself, and mom never encouraged him to! Generally even with the screaming crying kids, by the end of the 8 weeks they skate by themselves.

[skatergirlsmom]

Well, I disagree just a little with Backspin. I would not take her to a public session first. I have never seen a parent who knew how to support a child without pulling them off balance at the same time.


In my earlier response, I did not think about how my skater might be unique. She was completely fearless at 4 yrs old. I started the public sessions with her the month she turned 4. I did not have to worry about supporting her because I never allowed her to lean on my hand, the wall, a bucket or anything. My philosophy, completely my own invention, was that using something for support would not teach the proper posture.

[CanAmSk8ter]

Original Poster: If you can do xovers and a waltz jump, I'd think you're capable of taking your little one skating on your own. I'd suggest that first, so that if she ends up hating it you're not committed to a set of lessons. (If she doesn't like it, BTW, don't give up on it- some kids who hate skating at three, four, five years old find that six months or a year later they love it. Just don't make a big deal, and try it again when she's a bit older). I usually hold up new tot skaters by holding both of their hands out at their sides from behind. That way, like DBNY said, you can save them from a backward head-bumping fall. I try to hold them up for as short a time as possible; as soon as I don't feel like they're dependent on me to hold them up, I move around to face them and we start doing "march to me", with me just a foot or so away- close enough to get my hands under their arms and catch them if they're nervous.

The other thing you can do is see if your rink will allow your daughter to do a "trial class" so you can find out if she likes skating before committing to a full set of lessons. My rink requires this for kids who aren't four yet, and will do it for four-year-olds if the parents ask. The reason is that they won't do refunds except with a doctor's note, and this saves a lot of hassle. I would say that somewhere between 60-75% of the three-year-olds end up signing up for a set of classes, and most of the four-year-olds do.

As for Mommy and Me vs. Tot, you know best :) I personally would not have wanted to skate without my mommy at three, but some kids will. My rink doesn't do Mommy and Me, just regular learn-to-skate, which is part of why we insist on a trial class if they're not four yet. I've had three y.o.'s who are fine with it, and I've had 5 y.o.'s who don't want to skate without a parent (usually Daddy, for some reason). If she tries the Tot class and it doesn't work, can you switch her to Mommy and Me?

Equipment: Rental skates should be fine at first. Do what you can to get a pair with some kind of edge on it. If you do decide to buy her skates, discuss with the instructor what to look for and what stores to try. I hate having kids who had previously been in rentals show up with terrible skates that their parents went out and bought when, if they had asked me, I would have told them they'd be wasting their money on the $20 skates at Dick's Sports. Anyway. ;) Definitely a helmet- my training rink doesn't require them, but the other rink where I teach does. I'm planning to bring it up at the next coaches' meeting at my training rink, because I think they should be mandatory. I would NOT suggest knee pads, for two reasons: I find that tots tend to fall right on their bottoms more often than not, which is exactly how you want them to fall; also because those hard plastic ones slide around on the ice, making it more difficult for them to get up from a fall- something that a lot of tots struggle with at first anyway. Definitely have her wear gloves, and layers of clothes so that if she gets warm (not likely, but just in case) she can take something off.

[rudi]

Thanks to all of you for your great advice! There is a lot of good info here.

I still haven't decided which class to go with, but I may ask about a trial lesson (to see if she even likes it once she gets on the ice). The next session starts in January.

"The backwards, head-bumping fall" is naturally, my biggest fear. On that note, any recommendations on where to get a helmet?

[CanAmSk8ter]

Some of the little boys (and increasing numbers of little girls) have hockey helmets if they're planning to play hockey, or if they have an older sibling who plays and handed down an outgrown helmet. Most of them just wear bike helmets, though, which you can get at any sporting goods store, Target or Wal-Mart type place, or even Toys R' Us. I'm not sure if there's any difference in quality between a bike helmet from a sports store and one from Toys R' Us or Wal-Mart.

[skaterinjapan]

In terms of helmets, I wouldn't put a tot on the ice without one. When I taught a Snowplow Sam 1 class, I had a quick three-year-old who fell the first day and from then on refused to get back on the ice. A helmet can protect both the head and the ego.

Bike helmets can protect skaters' heads, and they're certainly better than no helmet, but they're specifically designed for a different type of fall. A hockey-type helmet usually covers more of the head and doesn't stick out in the front or back the same way a bike helmet can.

Have you checked with the skate rental at the rink? Many skate rental places also rent helmets! Good luck.

[dbny]

My philosophy, completely my own invention, was that using something for support would not teach the proper posture.

I agree, and perhaps "support" is not the right word. By keeping one of my hands at the tot's waist height, and the other at her back (my invention), I am allowing her to learn how to balance without actually being supported and without the possibility of the backwards fall. I've also seen CanAmSk8r's "as soon as I don't feel like they're dependent on me to hold them up, I move around to face them and we start doing "march to me", with me just a foot or so away- close enough to get my hands under their arms and catch them if they're nervous." also work very well. The point I wanted to make is that when a parent skates with their beginner child, they pretty much always are hoisting them up by an arm, thus throwing them completely off balance.

[skatergirlsmom]

Dbny - You and many other coaches have sooo much patience. I do not have this patience. If my 4 year old been afraid or had cried on the ice, we probably would have just left and maybe not have come back. Not all of us are cut out for teaching/coaching which is one of the many reasons I appreciate my daughter's coach.

[dbny]

Dbny - You and many other coaches have sooo much patience. I do not have this patience. If my 4 year old been afraid or had cried on the ice, we probably would have just left and maybe not have come back. Not all of us are cut out for teaching/coaching which is one of the many reasons I appreciate my daughter's coach.

Thank you. I didn't always have so much patience, and I certainly did not always have it with my own two girls. Today at our My First Lessons class, our "star student" got on the ice all pouty and refused to skate at first. About halfway through, she just up and left the ice. I was so surprised. I had noticed her mood and asked her if something was wrong. She told me a story about her uncle who had a tooth knocked out in an assault! After a few minutes, her dad brought her back and told me the tooth story had occurred years ago, and that his daughter was just moody. Strangely enough, she was great the rest of the time, with lots of good skating and lots of laughing. It was an interesting lesson.