SKIPPING
This cranky re-run is from July 2011
Skipping does not make any sense. It is slower to skip than it is to run and it takes more energy. Children are encouraged to take that first walking step. Running is just really fast walking. Skipping? What is that?
Parents do not teach their children to skip. I wouldn’t even know how to teach skipping. Kids just do it. Mostly girls skip although I vaguely remember skipping as a child. For some reason kids stop skipping at around ten years old. I think boys stop earlier. Kids sometimes hold hands and skip. They don’t hold hands and run, they seldom hold hands and walk and if they do, walking and hand holding usually ends up in skipping.
I don’t think kids ever skip unless they are happy. They will walk unhappy. They will run when they are unhappy. It is not possible for an unhappy child to skip.
Skipping is the only form of transportation that has never resulted in a race. There are walking races in the Olympics. Swimmers race, runners race, skiers race, bicycles, cars, skateboards, sleds, skates, boats, airplanes, trucks, hopping in a potato sack, every possible form of forward motion has always resulted in someone saying “Let’s race!” I have never heard of a skipping race. Skipping is happy, it just cannot get competitive.
I think maybe because it makes no sense, because it looks silly, people stop skipping after the age of ten. Kids don’t care what looks silly; they don’t care what makes sense, if they have an emotion, they will show it. When children are happy, when they are excited, they skip. When I see children skip, it makes me happy, it makes me smile.
Maybe the world would be better off if we all remembered how to skip. If the boss gives you a raise, skip back to your cubicle. If you are going to buy a new car, skip to the dealer. That girl agrees to marry you, skip around the room. You pass the bar exam, skip to the bar.
Would this show of happiness upset those around us who were not as fortunate? Do we need to control our emotions as grownups or risk hurting other peoples’ feelings? As grownups when we are really happy, we feel we have to tone down our emotions.
I think some people are unhappy and suffer from depression because they are afraid to skip. Come on everyone let it all hang out.
It is time we remember how to SKIP!
Oh but guys do skip, especially football players. Just this week end I watched Cam Newton skip half the length of the football field and college players always skip. It is a joyous way to move but be careful if you are close to 70. It is not like bike riding. I know, I tried.
ReplyDeletenow i'm going to have to try it today (after i take off my slippers for fear of skip slipping). i think we need a government-funded extensive study of this skipping phenomenon!
ReplyDeleteSkipping ends when the framistat goes south.
ReplyDeleteOf course there's that Aussie tinkling song with the lyric: "skip to the loo my darling!"
ReplyDeleteI still skip on the playground. As a kid when they told us not to run, I'd say, "I'm not, I'm skipping."
ReplyDeleteWell, I can't answer that question, but I could hurt myself trying to skip. Not going to do it.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day Cranky. ☺
I was going to write some smartassed comment, but then I thought, "Just skip it!!"
ReplyDeleteChildren and some adults skip because they cannot fly.
ReplyDeleteI used to love skipping. I thought about getting up from my computer and giving it a try, but I'm afraid I would break my ankle.
ReplyDeleteLast year I tried skipping with my grandson. It hadn't occurred to me that I wouldn't be able to launch myself off the ground. He kept encouraging me, and I began to run, hoping he wouldn't notice the difference, but of course he did. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we stop skipping because we get old.
ReplyDeleteI think we get old because we stop skipping.
Skipping has an entirely different connotation to us teachers. In fact, the older our students get, the more they skip.
ReplyDeleteI wish my knees would let me skip :)
ReplyDeleteI remember how, but I'm pretty sure my hips wouldn't cooperate if I tried it now.
ReplyDeleteI also remember in primary school, at our twice weekly PE lesson we'd have to skip around in a circle and many of the boys couldn't at first. One poor boy never did learn how and the teacher was a bit merciless forcing him to try every single time. He just got tangled up with his feet and feel each time. At first we laughed at him, then we stopped when we realised he really couldn't do it, I think we were 8- 9 at the time.
I don't think I've seen anyone skipping for a long, long, time, not even little kids.
Got to admit, I still skip occasionally but it's getting harder and harder to persuade Miss Mac to hold hands and do it with me ...
ReplyDelete