By Sarah  

There are times in life that as parents we must choose to take part in mini lies. Creating fantasies is a nicer way to put it, actually.

We will look at a massive scribble and pretend it is the most incredible piece of art.

We will play the game Concentration and pretend, gosh darn it, we just can't remember where to find that matching rain cloud picture (even though we know it’s the second bottom row, two in from the left).

I love having running races with my son. I just can’t seem to beat him to the finish line.

But then, every once in awhile, our kids will do something and truly, honestly kick our butts.

For the first time last year, my family went skating on the pond.

As soon as we pulled in through the front gates, chatted with the attendant, and paid our entrance fee, my son piped up from the back seat, “Well, she was really nice, wasn’t she mom and dad!”

This was going to be a good day.

It was a bright and warm afternoon as I stepped on the ice.

My husband said it was a little soft, but it felt great – less slippery than arena ice.

Sarah falls down and goes boom – a lot. Anything that softens the fall is a good thing.

My son has been skating for three years, two of them with a minor hockey association.

He’s a little skating machine – and backwards, there’s no one faster.

And, here, at the pond, he was thrilled to show off his skating skills with no instructor or classmates to get in the way.

“I’ll race you to the end of the pond!” I yelled.

I’ve probably skated seven times in my life. But, he’s five years old.

I had size on my side.

We both took off and, immediately, he was two hockey sticks ahead of me.

He needs to bend his knees more (who am I to even say that?!) but I looked like I needed one of those kid-helper supports.

He kicked my butt – fair and square.

He doesn’t always stay in the lines, he can’t always find the other rain cloud, and I can still out run him.

But my five year old can out-skate me – and that is truly amazing.

And embarrassing.

*****

(This is my son's first year playing hockey in Calgary. He'll playing for the Bow River Bruins!)