Kimmy has been asking Natasha to arrange for a “fun” birthday party for her this year (it’s still two months away, but it’s never too early to start thinking of one’s birthday, according to Kimmy), as opposed to our normal choice of a party in our back garden. Her interests fluctuate between a swimming party and a skating party. Quite a number of swimming centers in the area offer themselves for children parties, and the few available skating rinks can also be hired for such purpose.
Kimmy excels in both swimming and skating, which is even mentioned in her “bio” on our About page (and I made references to that fact in the past on this blog), so it is no wonder that she feels a swimming or skating party would be fun.
One little problem. None of her school friends can skate. And practically none can swim.
While I am not really surprised with the former – hey, I cannot skate, – I am really taken aback by the latter. For some reason, it strikes me as really odd that an 8-year-old child has not learned how to swim…
Becky, meanwhile, is participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program, which requires her to undertake an outdoors adventure complete with finding her own way in non-urban settings, setting up camp and sleeping in a tent. With a group of classmates – think Girls Scouts troop – and non-intrusive adult supervision. This weekend is the overnight “rehearsal”, somewhere in Kent. It baffles me how exactly going on a hiking trip and staying outdoors overnight can be practice for a hiking trip and staying outdoors overnight, but as with all of the trips that she’s been to lately, hanging out with friends away from parental control is what counts the most. If only she did not have to lug around the heavy back-pack…
The following weekend is the real thing, with two nights away from home, after which she should be getting the Bronze Award. Silver and Gold should follow in the coming years if she chooses to continue.
My own Bug started mentioning her birthday party recently as well. Her birthday is in NOVEMBER..THe swimming parties are really popular here!
I’m surprised about the swimming, too. No wonder Britannia no longer rules the waves. 😀
I’m a bit surprised about the swimming part, but Minnesota has a lot of lakes and a lot of the schools have pools (although tough budgets have made many schools have to close them), so you just learn to swim here.
Myself, I can swim, but I don’t like to. As for skating – no way. Ice and I have a hate-hate relationship, and I have the plate and screws in my right ankle to prove it.
Hey, I am 33 and still can’t swim that well. And whose fault is that?
Tvoi. :p
Well, thanks John. It’s not that I was looking for blame, it’s that I was genuinely interested 🙂