Being 8

When you're 8, life is rough. Your parents let you dress as you wish when you go to school (parents choose their battles), you go to school all day and play with your friends, you come home, do homework, play games, read, etc, and go to bed. It's fun.

You might have activities. My daughter likes to do anything - I suppose she is "well-rounded!"

I realized something in skiing this year. She's really good at skiing, but that's not what I noticed. I noticed that even though she is really good, she was skiing the easy stuff. Skiing a black, to her, is something she just says she wants to do. She's good enough to do a black (advanced) slope, and probably do it well.

Recently we were skiing and her teacher took her to the kids area which was off a really difficult blue. I was sit-skiing and was being tethered, which allows me to ski anything because my teacher can control speed and turns from behind via ropes, or "tethers." Since I was "tethered," I was faster, and could ski down and then watch her ski.

It was very steep. She was skiing well, in complete control. But, she didn't look happy. I'm not sure who decided this was a great idea to do this blue, her or her teacher, because I was just doing what they wanted to do.

By the end, she was done. The fun was all gone.

It turned out ok, because my shoulder hurts and it's time for the season to end so I don't re-injure it. But this gives us both time to get back to having fun.

I think of so many 8 year olds who are pushed because they are good at something. It's not the majority, but some are pushed way too hard just because they are good.

Hopefully I won't do that. Being 8 should be fun without a bunch of pressure. Lori will make choices on what she wants and when she wants to push limits to be better (well, except on things like homework!). Those are her decisions.

Until that happens, I'm happy with her skiing straight down the easy stuff, skiing through the trees, skiing through the easy but fun kids stuff. That's fun for her. And being 8, for the most part, should be fun.

I wish I could go back to 8. There really aren't any worries.

Peace.