Why I'll Never Coach My Daughter: Figure Skating & Parenting 101 by Jessica Lawrence

Motherhood Parenting
5 years ago

Why I'll Never Coach My Daughter: Figure Skating & Parenting 101

If you ask my mother, she'll say she put me in figure skating lessons because she wanted me to socialize. I was 3, and I can safely say I don't remember actually interacting with anyone in my first Snowplow Sam Group – but I can tell you I was a giant purple grape for my very first ice show!

Once I found out I was having a daughter, I dreamed of her wearing skates and taking the ice. Just as my mother did, I put her in lessons when she was 3. She's almost 8, and skates year round. I'm practical; I know it's so unlikely she'll be attending the Olympics, but skating taught me so many lessons and I hope it does the same for her.

Many people ask me why I don't coach her. To me, I always have had coaches who are real, honest and sometimes harsh. I need that harsh reality, even today, on the ice. I need someone to tell me I'm making things harder than need be. So will I ever coach my child? Quite simply, no. That isn't a relationship I want to have with her.

Instead, I'll be cheering for her, taking videos and, most importantly, embarrassing her.

Would you (or do you) coach your own child? 

Related Products on Amazon We Think You May Like:

30Second Mobile, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The Ebbs & Flows of Depression: My Own Personal Struggles With Mental Health

Unlucky in Love? Holding on to the Hope of Finding Love After Divorce

Overactive Minds: Why Does My Brain Never Shut Off Unless I'm Doing This One Thing?

New Year's Resolutions As a Single Mom: 5 Ways I'll Prioritize Myself This Year

Donna John
I could never coach my kids. I tried to teach my oldest daughter to drive, and had to ask a friend's husband to do it. lol Nope.
Elisa Schmitz
Agreed, Jessica Lawrence . I did not coach my kids and saw the tension between parent coaches and their kids. Not the dynamic I wanted!

join discussion

Please login to comment.

recommended tips

Happy International Women’s Day: Celebrating Women's Achievement & Driving Gender Equality

Volunteering: Gain Marketable Jobs Skills Through Helping Others!