Problem Solving

Kyra is, apparently, a pretty good ice skater.  You could call it, her thing.  Her knack in life.

She's surpassed the "Learn to Skate" classes.  This summer we put her into something called "Bridge."  It's supposed to be for the kids in between L2S and full on private lessons. 

The problem is, Bridge is where Kyra should be, but its is also what the rest of her class has accomplished at the ages of 10-12.  Kyra may have the skills to be there, she doesn't quite have the maturity to be there. 

While the other girls are standing still, listening intently to what the coach is telling them, Kyra is skating circles around the group.  When the coach tells them to try the new move she just showed them, Kyra's watching the other girls to figure out where she's supposed to be.  When the coach calls them back in, Kyra skates as fast as she can, bear hugs the teacher and then jumps up and down asking if the coach saw what she did.

All things you'd expect from a newly 6 year old.  Though, not so much appropriate for the class she's in.

Jeremy and I have discussed it on and off with her coach and we have 3 options:

• No one honestly believes she fits well in the Bridge class, though, clearly she did learn new skills from it.  We could try it again and maybe there might be some new, younger, student to join, too, or maybe Kyra will start to pick up on the older girls' cues.
• We also all believed that if we stepped her back down to the L2S level, she could still practice the skills she already knows while working on her technique; not to mention she'll be with kids closer in age and maturity.  The downside is, she isn't learning anything new and because she's not learning anything new, she tends to be less interested and more space cadet -ish.  
• A third option would be to start private lessons.  Once a week, half hour lesson, half hour practice.  Though, admittingly, more expensive. It also means we'll be starting to commit more to the sport, which is a scary thing to do when your kid is only 6.

I'm not sure what the right answer is.

Jer and I thought we had our minds made up to put her back into L2S so she'd be with kids (slightly older at her level, but still). 

Then, this weekend her coach emailed us to say she'd like us to come in for a private lesson this week, as there was a new student on the ice.  A soon-to-be 6 year old homeschooler.

This is important information. 

NONE of Kyra's homeschool friends ice skate.  Kyra has taken notice.  It makes her feel like no one in her skating class(es) like her because they all know each other from school and don't always talk/play with her.

Today we had that private lesson, where she met a very friendly and delightful little girl.  Kyra's talking about her like she's her new best friend.

To top that off, our coach gave us another option for private lessons that would be significantly cheaper then what we had anticipated.  It'll be as if we're swapping horse riding lessons for private ice lessons, monetarily.  And since we're finished riding this season....

Learn to Skate: less cost, group lessons.
Private Lessons: manageable cost, a single friendship.

...now that I write it out, I think the solution is obvious.