Try

The little man had a rough week.  After a rough start to ice skating, he then had his four year check up which sadly included FOUR terribly icky shots in the legs (this was indeed much more painful for his parents who were also crying during the ordeal).  Two days after that he had an eye appointment where he received eye drops in his eyes; this is pretty much my four year old worst nightmare.  We go to great lengths to keep the water out of his eyes during bath time, so to have to hold him down to purposely  put water in the eyes is traumatic to the little man.  It was pretty sad and I felt so helpless when little man wanted to play with my phone while we waited for his eyes to dilate and he couldn't get his eyes to focus.  Try explaining why your eyes stop working when water gets into your eyes to a four year old, yep impossible. 

So after a tough week I really want to make this whole ice skating situation much more positive for my little man.  We discussed all week about how he was going to be brave and not give up and keep trying.  I set up a special 1:1 lesson with my friend Diana who used to skate competitively.  She met us at an indoor rink in Cambridge and took B on a little skate.  I gave B a big prep talk about how he was going to be brave like  a superhero.  Clearly, I also used bribery (don't judge, it works!) that if he could go through this lesson and his next lesson without crying and try his best we could go to Toys R Us. 

Diana was so wonderful with Berkeley; he was super duper brave like a superhero and had a good time.  When he got off the ice after 20 minutes of trying he said, "That was fun!" What, the what?! 

 

After his lesson from Diana we were listening to the radio and P!nk came on the radio with her song "You gotta get up and Try" and B (who always listens to the words of songs) said, "Mom, this song is about me and how I keep trying at ice skating!"  This kid is ridiculously smart and adorable!!  So we have been playing and singing the song all week, it is our new theme song! 

Berke has his next lesson, and his beginner class went from three crying kids to just a Berkeley.  The owner stated many parents give up after the first lesson and the kid doesn't like it, he praised us for bringing B back.  Berke was a TOTALLY different kid on the ice.  It helped that it wasn't as cold outside, that it was lightly snowing and that B had his teacher all to himself.  Berke was trying, he would fall down and get back up.  He was even fascinated by the ice when he fell and did a few snow angels on the rink. He still cannot do anything on his own, but he tried for 30 minutes straight, he kept getting up and he never cried or kicked his legs in the air.  

I have to say I have never been more proud of my little man for trying at something that was so terrifying for him when he first began.  He didn't give up and he even enjoys it now. 

I am also proud of my parenting skills on this one; I'm gonna go ahead and chalk this one up as a proud parenting moment.  It was a wonderful and exciting way to end the week.  I think the high light for Berke man was going to Toys R Us.  The kid earned two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle this week.  Turtle Power indeed.