Saturday, July 5, 2008

Lessons = Me:0 - Kids:1

Hope your Fourth of July was a sparkler! Mine was boring, quiet and uneventful. The cloudy awful weather here in NY did nothing to enhance the experience, either!

Well, my much anticipated lesson on Wednesday evening was cancelled due to a call from the instructor apologizing for a family matter that needed her attention and she had to cancel all her evening lessons. I have been busy with the holiday and kids being off from child care this week so I have not yet had a chance to call and reschedule.

However, my boyz had their first official riding lesson this past Thursday and they both enjoyed it! They looked so cute in the jodphurs my friend gave me that her daughter had outgrown. The hardest part for me was to keep my mouth shut. I wanted on several occasions to correct things that I just KNEW were not exactly right but I know if I let myself do that I'm not going to make a good situation. Has anyone else had a similar experience - that you have years of expertise in a field but you have to have someone else teach your kids and you just see things you WANT to comment on but you are unsure how it will be received if you do? I wish I could teach them myself but I don't have the resources (a reliable pony) and I know they will "hear the lesson" better if it's coming from another voice.

3 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

Luckily I haven't been in this situation,actually it's the other way around. My daughter is a wonderful, knowledgeable trainer and I have given up taking lessons with anyone else but her for the past 10 years. The good and bad part of this is she is really tough and there are no excuses,it's do it right or you don't move up.

Anonymous said...

Hi there!

I come from the other side - teaching young kids who are first learning to ride and congratulate any parent who can stand quietly and watch the lesson! I've had mothers who've taken over lessons with their advice and it can be frustrating for the instructor, but I believe moreso for the student who isn't sure where to put their focus.

Then again, if you feel that the instructor isn't covering what you think should be covered for your kids, then I guess it's worth looking at alternatives.

Hope you're boys enjoy their new learning experience!

Anonymous said...

I have no children of my own...well besides my horse because I totally count him as my first born. The woman I lease X from has a daughter that rides. She started a blog about being a "show mom" a while back. She is TERRIBLE at updating it (good thing I love her anyway right!) but the link is http://ponygoom.blogspot.com/ and her name is Lori and I am POSITIVE she would have tons to say on the topic.