Climbing Lessons

Carson has shown an interest in climbing since he was small. I've taken him climbing at a climbing gym a couple of times and he flew up the walls. I haven't taken him in a long time and I always feel guilty about it, so I finally signed him up for climbing lessons. A family membership at the climbing gym is pretty costly and even if I just wanted to enroll Carson in the children's climbing club two days a week it's $134....OUCH! So I decided to sign him up for basic climbing at the rec center to see if it was something he not just enjoyed, but really loved. After one lesson I think it's clear that he LOVES it! The best part? He`s is the only child in the class so basically he gets private climbing lessons for four weeks.
John has always been slightly disappointed his boys aren't into sports. They take after me. I'm not big into sports and it seems that every child in our neighborhood is obsessed with soccer (gag!) Don't get me wrong, if my boys want to do soccer I'll sign them up with a smile and love every minute of it. Actually, I think they have mentioned playing soccer this Spring. But let's be honest, it's just not my thing. We do realize the importance of helping our kids find their "thing." The thing that helps identify who they are and what they enjoy doing. For Carson it may or may not be rock climbing. If it is, more power to him. I'd love for them to find that one thing they're interested in that they can do throughout their life. It's tough, but I hope the boys find what they love and find a good group of kids to hang out with. This parenting thing is hard work and I'm sure when the boys find their niche with a good group it'll help me breathe a little easier.
To get back to climbing lessons though; Carson did awesome. His instructors even mentioned how great he did for someone his age...and the female instructor loved him. For some reason teenage girls just seem to take to Carson. Go figure. The first climb he got a bit nervous and came down just shy of the top. I reminded him the rope would hold him, so he got back on that wall and flew up the harder climb and rang the bell at the top. We clapped and cheered. After that he had absolutely no fear. They also taught him bouldering and there was a big gap he had trouble crossing, and he tried over and over. I don't think I've ever seen him so determined. He never did make it, but that's because he needs a few more inches in height. John even said it was more fun to watch him climb than to play basketball because it was plain as day how much he was enjoying himself. It was so great watching him do something he wanted, not something he was doing purely because the other kids are doing it.
They didn't have climbing shoes in his size, so seeing how much he loved climbing, we headed to REI and purchased climbing shoes for him. The climbing shoes should help him greatly since his running shoes were a bit bulky and he had a tough time gripping some of the smallest holds with his feet. We stopped by Momentum yesterday and Carson was drooling. He wanted to go up some of those taller walls so badly. All afternoon yesterday he bugged us to take him to Momentum. Thinking about it, it would be so much fun to have a family membership. This way when we're sitting around deciding what to do we can just grab our gear and go climbing. It's a great workout and the REI employee ensured it me it would help tone me up and give me a lot of strength. Hmmm, do I really look so tone-less?! Ha.
I can't wait for this lousy snow to melt so we can take the boys hiking up Ferguson Canyon to watch the climbers.