(no subject)

[falcongrrl]

Last night we went roller skating at a nearby rink.

It was a lot of fun. Ellie does a little better each time we go. This time, she still depended upon the wall, but she fell a lot less and as a result I got to skate a little more (and my arms aren't nearly as sore today).

Wednesday night is Budget Night, with cheaper admission and deals at the snack bar. I didn't know what to expect in terms of a crowd. Well, the place was packed, and there was a line to get in even though we arrived late, at about 7:15. There were kids, teens, young and middle-aged adults there. There were different races and body types. Despite the crowded environment, people were generally nice to each other - lots of oopses! and sorries! during near misses. Daniel accidentally crashed into an adult and they fell down together, but both of them got up and were fine afterward (thankfully).

I loved people watching, particularly watching the people who did that skate dancing thing all together at the same time. I think there's something tremendously fun about watching people do things that they do well. As for me...a couple of times I was skating and moving to the music, but it was really more about being aware of the crowd and keeping up with the flow of movement, enjoying the feel of rolling along and feeling the beat even if I couldn't really danceskate to it so well.

The music was fun - there was some recent pop and R&B as well as some 80s stuff I remember skating to back in The Day and even some seventies-sounding funk I didn't recognize that was awesome.

Last night I remembered that when I was 10, my dad let me go to the local skating rink by myself. He would drop me off there and pick me up when the session was over. It was always just fine; I never had any problems...

...but Daniel will be ten in just a couple of months and there is no way in hell I would do that. Maybe I was closer to 11 when my dad let me. Maybe the skating crowd is a little rougher these days, or maybe I'm a bit too overprotective. Maybe it's the difference between the suburbs of Orlando and the small town of Winter Haven. Probably it's a little bit of all of the above.

That said, I don't plan on letting my kids go without me anytime soon. Part of that is because I don't feel safe about it, for whatever reason. But the other part is that I love it too damn much, and I can't imagine not wanting to skate, given the opportunity.

We all had a really good time. :-)

Comments

[birdbard.livejournal.com]

I've read something recently (I'll try to find it and forward) that said that "stranger danger" was actually LESS prevalent these days than in the past. The thing that has changed it the way that the media harps in incidents that do happen. They report on something over and over, bringing it up at anniversaries and at any related news. So you hear it again and again, but it's really only a hand full of cases.

That said, we tend to be over protective as well, and my kids have no where near the freedom I had as a kid. I use to go on day long adventures and come home in time for dinner. Not my kids! ;^)

Skating sounds like a wonderful outlet for you, I'm glad you are able to do it!

[doc-cathode.livejournal.com]

If I recall correctly, most kids are molested by somebody close to them. And judging by the "Have You Seen Me?" cards in the mail, most kids are kidnapped by a non-custodial parent rather than a stranger.

Logic aside, I say every stranger is a pedophile handing out poisonous candy filled with razor blades. That's just my gut feeling.

[ladyperegrine.livejournal.com]

I think for me, "stranger danger" is actually a small piece of it and the bigger issues are the things like getting cut off by another skater and falling down and getting hurt, or having another kid try to pick a fight with them, or having someone offer them drugs. Or the really small things like they're hungry but they ran out of money for snacks.

[goodjoan]

I am glad Ellie is becoming more relaxed with the skating! Owen skated for the first time a few months ago (at age 14) and was a little scared but had fun. He wanted roller skates as a little kid so I got him some FP clip on skates and he got on them, realized how 'unstable' they felt and said No way! And he never tried again, same with bikes! He has never liked that feeling of being unstable. I was really excited to see him put on skates and try and have fun!

Funny what constitutes a big milestone when you have anxious kids!

[ladyperegrine.livejournal.com]

Ellie was never really nervous about skating, but she fell like every two seconds. The first time we went, my arms were really sore the next day from picking her up and getting her settled again, and I couldn't skate on my own all that much because I needed to be right with her to try to catch her fall. This time, she still had to hold on but she did much better at staying upright! :-)

[playfuleye.livejournal.com]

I LOVE going to skating rinks! Let me know next time you go out, and I'll try to go with you!

[ladyperegrine.livejournal.com]

I definitely will! This one's on Goldenrod, a little closer to my side of town than Semoran Skateway (which was also really fun the time we went.)

Actually, do you still have my phone #? (the 415 one...) I don't know if I have yours.

[playfuleye.livejournal.com]

I don't think I do! But mine is 407-376-9840 :D