A GENTLE REMINDER

PARENTS AT LTP SESSIONS – A GENTLE REMINDER

We insist on at least one adult per child staying in the arena at all times during the LTP session. The children at this age need to see you from time to time to give them comfort and to show off. More importantly, they often come off the ice for equipment adjustments or to go to the bathroom (not in our job description) or because they have had enough for the day. If one of these children were to come off and Mom or Dad isn’t there, there will be tears (including from the instructor) and it will take one of the instructors away from the rest of the program. You will want to stick around anyway, it is a very entertaining spectacle!

Crying

Some of the players will cry (the very beginners for sure) and may not last the full hour, especially the first few times out.  Sometimes, they just want to come off for a short break and then will come back on. Other times, they are done for the day.  We don’t recommend scolding them or forcing them to go back out or they may not want to come back. Let them want to come back on the ice over time, but be persistent over time.  Our job is to make it fun, so as to entice them back. It is very difficult for the beginners. Be patient! Our experience is that for the beginners, so long as they attend regularly, all crying will generally stop by mid-November, they will be skating (or at least pushing with one foot !) by the December break and everything after the holiday break runs smoothly.  Your, and our, challenge is to keep them coming until the end of December; after that they will love it.

NAMES ON HELMETS AND STICKS

Please make sure that you have placed white hockey tape (or masking tape) across the front and back of your player’s helmet with their first name in large block letters in black marker on the front and their last name in large block letters in black marker on the back. Also, please mark their name visibly on their stick with black marker as this will help with retrieval after non-stick drills.