Psycho Parent Syndrome at the Rink

Yesterday at the ice skating rink, an incident of Pyscho Parent Syndrome did occur. But Ryan and I weren't the culprits.

When we arrived at the rink, Katelyn recognized the building from our test run the weekend before. "I want to do spins," she said. (We have a figure skating competition on the DVR at home.) So far, so good.

Rink 1 and the area surrounding bustled with pint-sized people wearing snowsuits and wobbling on their skates. Katelyn took her cue from them and allowed Ryan to put on her skates and helmet. He held her near the edge of the rink, and she asked him to put her down on the ice.

She "walked" across the ice with Ryan. Big stuff!

The instructor checked off Katelyn on her registration sheet and asked, in her Russian accent, how old Katelyn was. Ryan responded that she was two.

The instructor replied, "Wow."

From her tone, I'm guessing "wow" in Russian means, "These two must be Psycho Parents."

Psycho Parent Syndrome or Just Having Fun?

Today is Katelyn's first ice skating lesson. Two years old seems awfully young for skating lessons, and there's only a 50% chance she'll put on the skates. That does make us seem over-intense. I suppose if she's competing in the sport at age 15, and we admit to other parents (her competition) that we started her at two, we will be certified as psycho. If we told them her first lessons were held at the training ground for a past Olympic gold medalist, we'd completely ruin our chances of a reputation as fun-loving and easy-going.

But her competing at age 15 is unlikely to happen (especially if she refuses to get on the ice!). Neither Ryan nor I are the spontaneous type. Or rather, we didn't use to be. For us, this is spontaneous. A few weeks ago, Ryan had turned on the television to distract Katelyn from her nap-hangover. She was enraptured by an ice dancing competition. We decided to "do something crazy" and give it a try. The "home of the Olympic champion" rink happens to be the nearest to our house.

So while I do feel a little worried that this activity might be a symptom of Psycho Parent Syndrome, I am really excited to watch Katelyn and Ryan on the ice today, if they make it that far. We'll have fun today. And if she's not, we'll leave. That doesn't sound psycho at all.