2hrs to learn EVERYTHING you need to know about parenting!

We are launching our new parenting program! In 2 hours, you will learn EVERYTHING you ever need to know about parenting! All that for only $20! The program is so good that I even signed up for it and learned so much!

And where can you access this program? At the Ice Rink. Yep. Join me as I tell you all about when I took my toddler ice-skating for (her) first time. And why this was a lot of the things you ever need to know about parenting!

It started off with high excitement. Once we hit the ice, that quickly changed. She wasn’t exactly a natural (fair enough, it was her first go). We managed about half of a (very) slow lap with me holding her and her using the penguin as much as she could manage. My back was ACHING from being hunched over and eventually, I couldn’t handle it anymore so I ordered her off the ice so we could have a rest. Cue big feelings.

Relationship

I ruptured our relationship, despite my best intentions. While we had considered that she might find it hard to do something unfamiliar, I had lost sight of that. That, combined with my sore back, led to me being a bit snappy (and in partial defence – it was also because I wanted to keep her safe from getting hurt when she tried to get away). She got upset with both my tone and with trying a new skill.

Eventually, we coaxed her back onto the ice. And that was where my second lesson hit.

Supported independence

Up until then, I had been holding her and trying to keep her upright and generally moving forward. But I realised that made it hard for her to actually try the movement of skating. So I let her go. Not completely – I was behind her and ready to catch her. But I stopped holding her up and let her do some soft falls herself. And what do you know – she actually started to get the hang of it!

The irony was that by trying too hard to help her, I blocked her attempts to try herself. And when she did, she managed something that almost looked like skating! I spent the next hour skating behind her with arms ready to grab her for any big falls, but with her trying it all for herself.

And that leads to the third lesson

Over-eager independence

Yes, she was starting to get the hang of skating, but she most certainly was not ready to do it herself. But did she care? Nope. She literally jumped through the door onto the ice in a bambi-like display of wanting to skate herself. She had gone through a rapid skill acquisition and got to that stage where being a little bit competent leads to being OVER confident. So despite her protestations, I still kept her close and made sure she was safe within her skill level

And the last lesson I learned?

She didn’t care about any of the stuff above. She didn’t appear to get this wild parenting journey I had been on. She was dolling out high-fives to her cousins and mum and celebrating her success. In a slightly bittersweet moment, I didn’t get to do a lot of the celebrating with her. She wanted to share that with the other people who weren’t skating with her. So I was literally and figuratively in the background, propping her up. And I am damned glad I did!

So no, ConnectEd isn’t launching a great new program to learn everything you need to know. But it is really hot at the moment, and ice skating is a great way to keep cool. Maybe it is a good chance for you to practice your parenting and skating at the same time?

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At ConnectEd Counselling and Consultancy, we believe that all families, and the communities they belong to, benefit from a little extra care and support. Whether the problems are big or small, we want to make sure everyone has the chance to feel connected – to themselves, to others and to their community. We offer counselling services to young people and families and have immediate availability. If you need some support, get in touch here: https://connectedcc.com.au/book-now/

(Written by: Dr Matt O’Connor)