Praying he doesn't figure it out

Lately, Liam has wanted me to take him skating every week, and Chad to take him swimming every week. Last night I dutifully carted him over to the rink, did up his laces and left him for the wolves out on the ice. I knew it would happen sooner or later after the participation slip came home a few weeks ago, but last night was it: they started practising the routine for the end-of-season skating show. For which I already sent in the slip saying he would not be participating.

So I got to see them do this over and over: they put their hands up in the air, do a praying lotus position, take a bow, punch two jabs, and then skate to the other end of the rink, all in time to "Kung Fu Fighting." (The routine made a heck of a lot more sense when I left the warm confines of the area lobby where I usually watch, and went into the rink itself where I could hear the loudspeakers.) They did this about five times in a row last night (keep in mind how long it takes kids this age to cross from one end of the ice to the other). (The lessons from now until the end of the season have been lengthened from 30 to 45 minutes to allow for this, and really, I have no problem with that, except that nobody told us. We just figured it out on our own when he kept skating until 6:45 last night. The lack of communication is my biggest pet peeve about the Figure Skating Club... I just wish I had figured that out before they sent out the parental satisfaction surveys a few months ago. But I digress.)

Anyway, we had not mentioned anything about the skating show to Liam, figuring the less said the better, but now that he is practising for it with music and extra-long sessions, I wonder how long it can go before he starts to inquire. For what it's worth, I know of several other kids his age who aren't going to be in it either, including one whose dad said he was last night and then after I rhymed off my reasons for not wanting to do it, changed his mind. I hope his poor kid doesn't know he has me to blame for it. I really do think the skating show is going to be ten minutes with a hundred little kids on the ice to appease the parents and then two and a half hours showcasing their star figure skaters. I can't blame them, but I'm really not into that.

Today is Hawaiian Day at Cindy's house, and I hope I can get a good photo of Liam's get-up to post later today - he is really quite the sight.