07/21/2025
When is it best to let an 11-year old teach your kid something instead of you as the parent trying?
My son, Royal, got a skateboard from our neighbor, that was used and beat up, and he was insistent on dropping into the bowl.
In my day, I could skateboard, but I never dropped into the bowl. As my 9-year old son and I braved the skatepark I could tell he wanted to drop in, but there was no way I was about to try and show him how to do it.
We saw other boys doing it easily, and he wanted to do the same. My son bravely asked them the secret to succeeding, and they quickly took him under their wing, even though he was younger than them and his board looked old, tattered, and possibly wouldn't hold up.
The advice of 11-year olds was profound: You must lean all the way in. You can't lean back or you will hurt yourself. You have to be fully committed.
One of the great lessons of life.
My son stood and looked over the edge for an hour, contemplating his strategy, his bravery, the injury he may sustain in going for it.
He then asked if he were to go for it, would I be willing to go get him a "real skateboard"? I replied that if he were brave enough to do it, commit to the sport, then yes, we'd get him a real one.
He dropped in the bowl. He stuck the landing. He celebrated, running back up and trying again and again. It was incredible. New skill achieved.
The next thing we knew, we were at the skateboard shop buying him a first of many boards that he has now become quite excellent at riding, doing tricks, his Signature Moves manifested by Keeping The Promise to be All In.
Special Thanks to those kids who taught my son something I couldn't, showing him the way, and helping him learn the power of a Promise.