Our rink usually has an "adults only" group lesson slot, but we had to move in with the kids (we got bumped by hockey) for this session so I have been in the odd situation of taking "jump & spin" in the same class with my 8 year old son. And wouldn't you know . . . I was the only adult in the class for the first two sessions (finally had one of my former AOSS buds join us the past class). But ya know . . . I actually think I like skating with the kids . . . I can't quite put my finger on it . . . but their (sometimes fearless) approach to skating is really helping me loosen up a little and get more comfortable with the ice. Plus, it's helpful to see someone go through the jumps and spins that I am struggling with (we are at several different levels so we work on different jumps/spins on the same ice). I was scared to death at first (going in with the kids) but I'm actually kind of enjoying it.

I was just curious . . . any other AOSS (adult onset skating syndrome) skaters take group lessons with the kids v. strictly adult skaters? What did you think about the differences in the lesson experience?

I took Basic 3/4 and Adult 2 with adults
and Delta, Basic 7/8 with kids.

I did not mind skating with the kids, they were fun and really supportive (and clingy), however, I chose to pursue freestyle lessons as privates rather than groups because while I loved the kids, it was stressful for me to be in class with them. Most of them had very little concept of space- and I'd always be very nervous I would hit them because they would skate so close to me. Especially as we began to jump and spin it became a worry- with things like 3 turns it didn't matter. The other reason is because when an instructor asked up to stop and stand still and listen, I would. The younger girls would usually do what she was trying to explain why she was doing it- meaning it would have to be explained again- more time standing still. So I felt I didn't spend enough time moving.

As my skills increase I might go back to groups for things like MITF (if they are offered again) because that will be a more focused group of kids.

Good luck with your venture!

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

I'm not LTS, but I train on a regular basis with the kids. Often I'm the only adult. I dont mind and in fact, I quite enjoy it. It keeps me working hard and from chatting with fellow adults. I also like watching the progress of the kids, though they get things much faster than me.

I took lessons with the kids from time to time (and after a while, the group freestyle had so few adults that a couple of pre-teens joined us), and I thought it was SO MUCH FUN!

I really, really don't understand why so many adults are afraid to take lessons with the kids. They don't bite! They don't make fun of you---they're too busy with what they're doing to even notice you, really. Think about it--kids are surrounded by adults constantly...and they are naturally so centered on themselves that they tune adults out, for the most part. They aren't staring at you!

Regardless, I wanted to SKATE. It didn't matter who I was on the ice with. All that mattered was that I was receiving instruction, and had space to practice.

Besides, the kids are cute, when they do notice you, they tend to look up to you, and cheer you on, and remember--you can make friends with kids, too! When I was skating with the pre-teens, they were SO sweet! I even traveled to a couple of their competitions, just to support them, even though I wasn't skating myself.

If you want to skate, then SKATE. Don't let the age of your classmates stop you, that's one of the silliest things I can even begin to think of. You're all learning something you didn't know before--you're all in the same boat. Just because you're older doesn't mean that you should know more than they do--and that's actually a good lesson for the kids to learn, too!

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"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg."
--Thomas Jefferson

www.signingtime.com ~sign language fun for all!

I used to share the ice with the little tykes a couple of times a week. It can be hard on the ego My only serious objection is that far too many of them don't pay attention to where they are going and/or don't seem to realize that that old broads practice is as important to her as their's is to them.

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

I took group LTS lessons with kids for the first two summers when I started skating again. The lessons were conducted at a distant rink because our local rink closes in spring.

I'm not one to be embarassed by taking lessons with kids though. Far more embarassing things have happened in my lifetime!

Someone else mentioned the problem of standing around while the instructor explained a move to the kids who were sometimes less than attentive. I saw that too.

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Bill Schneider

I did the entire learn to skate course at our rink on Saturday mornings with the kids. The kids were no problem - the real problem was that the group was so large (about 20 of us for some of the sessions) so there was limited time to get advice from the instructor - it was more of a show and then you are on your own to practice. That's my excuse as to why it took me so long to get through the course.

I enjoyed skating with the kids and I enjoy skating with them now, though I dont' at the moment take any group lessons with kids, I do skate regularly on patch and chat with all the kids (after being around for 7 years I have watched a lot of them grow up and it's nice to be able to talk to many of them as older teenagers now - they are fun).

Now the problem is not so much with the kids but with the parents of the kids - some of whom still seem to believe adults should not be on patch at all - even those whose kids are lower level than me (this is usually newish parents). However I now just get on with my skating and have stopped worrying what the parents think and most of them are fine. They just think I am mad!

well, I'm 13, but when I started group lessons a week ago, I started Grade 1 (now I got moved up to 4) and whilst I didn't feel self-conscious, this exchange, whilst cute, was quite true:

little girl: are you really grade 2?
meL: no, but i have to pass it to move up.
lg: oh... you are too tall for grade 2

... yup... said it as only little kids do...

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Okay, now I'm thinking of "Ice Princess."

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SAME!!!! That's EXACTLY what I thought when she said that....

"could you try not to like, squish me??"

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The ENTIRE time I was in with the 8-10 year olds they would ask me about my age. Evey class it was something.
"Are you REALLY 24?"
"You REALLY have a husband?"
"I can't believe you are 24" etc.

It was really cute... and they still chat with me after their lessons even though I'm not in them anymore.


(I started ballet classes at age 20 with 6 year olds- I was pleased when I moved up to dance in the preteen class!)

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

FOTFLOL!

I love skating with kids, I loved group lessons with kids, I still prefer a serious FS full of adolescents to one full of slow elders (who refuse to get out of anyones way!)

I remember during a group class where we were learning 3turns, one of the kids and I were discussing how hard they were. "yeh", she said, "I stand there and look at my hands and I just can't remember which is right and which is left". Sort of gives you new perspective that we aren't always the ones with the most problems.

eNjOy
Lyle

I started skating with the kids. In the beginning, Alpha - FS 1, I had a lot of fun with them. As I started progressing, I noticed that I wasn't having as much fun and switched to privates for a couple of reasons:

1. Kids frequently have no concept of space and they don't really understand what is going to happen when we collide especially as I outweigh them by a good 100 lbs.
2. I was the only "wrong-way" skater in my lesson which posed another challenge.
3. I felt that the coaches were not being as critical with me as with the kids. That and they really just did not have time to really break down a skill. They also were willing to pass me out of fear that I would give up even if I really didn't have the skill.

Now I take ballet with kids and enjoy them thoroughlly so I'm not sure if the issue was the age or with being the only lefty.

hmmm . . . collision-wise . . . I guess our kids are pretty well behaved . . . and fortunately our class is not HUGE, and we have plenty of room to find a place to jump. The lower level classes don't take up a whole lot of ice. I do get a little nervous on the backwards crossovers on the figure 8, but it's not that much worse than doing it with the other adults!

This was SO my first lesson . . . I felt like a GIANT!! and all these short people zipping around me . . .

the low point came as I realized my son was *literally* skating circles around me, when we were all standing around waiting as the instructor was making out the class roll . . . I told him to "STOP IT!"

Oh boy you are making me laugh a lot today

One of the things that is awkward but absolutely wonderful is the roll reversal - when your kids improve faster than you they can help teach you. They aren't very good at being constructive when this starts but after a little while it becomes a growth experience for them, be patient.

For example, one of the precocious 12 yearold spin wizards helped me with my scratch spin sets this AM, but only after I asked her - and she really had a good tip

Lyle

I don't really count because I'm 16.. but I figured I'd answer anyway. I was in the adult groups from when I started, but the adult FS1 class was full so I had to skate with the 7 year olds. My problem with them was that they did not pay attention to where other people were. Like when we were practicing waltz jumps, this one little girl kept skating right into me after she jumped. It probably didn't help that the teacher was so nice to them and so mean to me. And it also made me a little jealous of them because they would be told to go do something and they would have it as soon as they tried it. For example, I'd never done a right inside or outside spiral before and the instructor was like, "okay right outside spirals. GO" and we went one at a time and theirs were perfect and she praised them and I went and wasn't so good and she yelled at me and told me I wasn't trying. I ended up switching into the adult class because I really hated that instructor.

Point of the story, I don't like learning with little kids. The adults in my Advanced FS class are so supportive and it's really nice to learn with them, because any problems I have, they basically are having the same issues, so we help each other. I do have some 9-12 yr old girls that skate every saturday who adore me, which is cute, but I wouldn't want to be in lessons with them.

Last winter, when I started skating I asked a little girl (and REALLY good skater): "How old are you?"

Her: "Seven. How old are you?"

Me: "56"

Her, with a look of absolute amazement: "HOOOOLEY, you're older than my DAD!"

Thanks kid!

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

I was called a "skating grandpa" by one of the kids in Columbus last summer.

Must be the white beard

and the gray hair

and the wrinkles

and the stooped shoulders...

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Bill Schneider

I love love love group lessons, but they haven't been available to me in the past two years. I am moving to back to SF, so hopefully I can participate then (in an adult class or kids). I loved meeting other skaters, their parents, whoever

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Natalie

http://www.ILoveTaB.com

I'm almost 50 and I love to skate with the kids. Having past my pre bronze moves and fs, I thought I was past LTS but I"m taking an Artistry in Motion class --which I love - if your club offers it you should take it - with a another adult and a very sweet girl.

I recently failed the Dutch Waltz and Canista Tango for the THIRD time (who fails that 3 times???) and the little girl (who learned it a month ago and passed again) came up to me and said "I just wanted to tell you how much I admire you--you never give up and you always smile when you dance and if I was a judge I would have passed you" I just bout cried.

Seems like when I skate the adult sessions they all chat and I feel rude skating away but really, I don't pay $12 an hour to chat! I skate mornings with the kids and they inspire me.

J

I did most of my LTS with kids - in fact with my own daughter most of the time until she beat me

So I got friendly with this tall girl who I expected was in her late teens, we chatted every week etc.... Then one week she dropped a bombshell - she is only 13! By God I nearly cried...

I don't like doing it with the kids because they learn so much faster than me!

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AW1
mum to Miss Lil (6yrs old)
mum to be to #2 due in March 08

The other four girls in my FS class probably don't add up to my age.

As someone said, they just don't get the concept of space. I'm always afraid I'm gonna wipe them out or hit them with a blade.

They also pick it up so fast--I'm like an old slow lady out there--It can be discouraging, but I keep at it and just watch them pass me by.

My private coach (who is 25 to my 43) calls all of her students her "kids" including me. I always have to laugh at that.

I'm happy when they call me Santa! Year before it was Mr. Grinch!

You know that is a good point, as a teen you may learn very quickly and be held back by the little ones. THis can be a real drag, us slow oldsters still learn slower than the innattentive little ones. Sounds like you made a good move to the adult class - have you started Private lessons yet? Well worth the extra $$$ IMHO.

Don't feel bad about being the only one to be yelled at. That means that the coach thinks you have real potential. THe Russian Ballet instructors would carry a 5 foot long stick to hit their students with but they only hit the ones they thought had a future in professional ballet.
Lyle

My LTS group is adult only, and it was one of the reasons I went for that rink. I really couldn't be in a mixed age group, it would frustrate me too much!

As it is I am the youngest in my current group and of the friends I have made I am the second youngest! We all get on great though and respect each other and I wouldn't change a thing.