Glad I don’t play hockey?

I figured skating was a life lesson ad something that every Canadian should be able to do, so I didn’t mind putting The Boy in lessons. Hockey is a huge deal in Canada, so I though he should be able to play that as well, so he was enrolled in that when he was old enough. He had all the equipment and good skates.

I figured, just because we had a girl, it wouldn’t matter, we would pass down the skates and equipment to her.

The Girl, age 3: I’m not going to play hockey.

Me: what do you mean?

The Girl: I want to dance on the ice.

Fuck. Figure skating? Cutesy outfits? The parents? Competitions? Ugh.

I got her the skates and put her Can Skate. She was 3. halfway through the year, a coach asked if she could train her. Great.

She started at 4, I would only let her go once a week. At 7 she went to her first competition, she placed third against kids who had been skating a lot longer and at least 3 times a week. I gave in and let her start training. The next year she was first.

7 years after I gave up on her playing hockey:

Got the skates, winter coat, warm blanket and a book for the afternoon skating lessons.

Got The Girl all set up and timed it so we came out of the dressing room just as the Zamboni was finishing.

The Girl was just about to step on the ice and the fire alarm went off. Fuck.

She put her skate guards on and we headed out to the parking lot.

There was a Girls hockey game going on at the rink next to us. They don’t wear skate guards. The parents had to carry their kids out.

To top it off, it was raining. I grabbed the umbrellas from the car and The Girl and I huddled underneath one and lent the other to another skater. The Hockey girls were being piggy backed by their parents, a few were sitting on the wet sidewalk with parents holding the umbrellas over them.

The Girl: Aren’t you glad I don’t play hockey.

Me, truthfully: Yes, I am.