being a surfing father

So anyone who is a surfer and a parent probably has a desire to teach their kids to surf. Or at least for their kids to be interested in and enjoy surfing. Many of the reasons for this are selfish. Imagine if your kids love to surf how much more you will get to surf. The question any surfing parent would love to hear "Dad (or Mom), will you take me surfing, please!"

Imagine if they decide not to surf and become a baseball player. You might end up spending your Saturdays sitting in the bleachers with a bunch of amped up parents when you could be sitting in the ocean enjoying what we surfers enjoy most in life.

I am lucky that Noah and Hendrik are water babies - they are as comfortable under water as they are above. Anke is a swim instructor and we are both surfers, so I have never worried too much over whether or not Noah and Hendrik would some day be surfing along side us.

But Noah has so far shied away from trying to surf. He has always believed he can do anything better than anyone. He is also very resistant to anyone trying to teach him anything. It is true that he is naturally very coordinated and can do many things extremely well, but of course we all know that coaches and teachers are important in learning new things. This is something Noah has yet to admit.

When we play in the ocean he has always chosen not to try to surf, probably out of fear he might not be able to do it. But he loves jumping into waves and getting slammed around by them (no fear whatsoever), he body boards a little, and likes to skim board - he is actually great at the timing of running and throwing he board and then jumping onto it (kneeling in his case), which is a bit tricky.

So it was to my great pleasure as a surfing Dad yesterday when Noah said to me "I am ready to learn to surf. I am ready for you to teach me how to surf." He went on, " I was ready when I was six. I stood up on my first wave when I was 6 years old!" (Anke took him one day during which he tried a couple times)

Not only did he say he is ready to surf but that he is ready to be taught! Two milestones in his growing up.

Time to teach the grom to surf, its on!