Put your hand up if you've ever had the pleasure of sitting next to Skater Mom on the 5:10 to Oshawa.
Skater Mom (SM) always make a point of calling her daughter, who I peg at about 11 years of age, at skating practice.
The phone calls usually go like this:
SM: Were you on time for practice?
SM: What does the coach have to say about your jumps?
SM: How many did you do?
SM: I know you're tired but how do you expect to get to the Olympics if you don't do your jumps?
SM: Do you have enough water?
SM: What do you mean? I put 400 bottles in your skate bag this morning? (Sigh) We discussed this. You need to be more responsible. What are you going to do in the Olympic Village one day and it's only you who can take care of you?
SM: Did you eat?
SM: What did you eat?
SM: No, that's not what we agreed to. I told you, protein at every meal. That's not protein, that's sugar.
SM: I don't care if you're just a kid. You can't be eating that junk. It's not good for your body. Remember what you've learned, you have to treat your body as a temple.
SM: Who's that yelling behind you? Well, move away from them. I'm really concerned that you don't have any water. Is there a water fountain in that arena? Can you ask someone? No! Don't drink juice. It's not a replenishment for fluids! (Sigh)
I think you get the picture.
The mother sounds like the ones I see on Toddlers and Tiaras.
ReplyDeletePoor kid ... Probably has no idea ... what it means to be a kid.
Hey, us crazy skating moms have to do whatever we can to ensure that our kids get to the Olympicks!!
ReplyDeleteI am all for being part of something and working hard to get to something like the Olympics but once in a while a child has to be able to act their age...otherwise they will resent you for it later!
ReplyDeleteSkates can be a deadly weapon quite easily (the bottom bit isn't called a "blade" for nothing). I would suggest that skating is not the sport where you want to be the Pushy Parent...
ReplyDeleteHAVING SAT NEXT TO THIS WOMAN IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT SHE'S MOTIVATING HER KID OR THAT SHE'S PRESSURING HER KID WHO I THINK VERY MUCH ENJOYS SKATING, IT'S THAT SHE PROJECTS HER CONVERSATION TO ALL OF US NEAR HER IN AN EFFORT I THINK TO IMPRESS US. PERSONALLY I DON'T CARE. SHE SHOULD RIDE HER DAUGHTER AT A LOWER VOICE.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad my parents were respectful of what I wanted to do, and didn't try and force me to fulfil their failed dreams!
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