@overedge We had one of those, but before my time. More recently we've had parents try to do that, but we've banned all parents from talking to their child during lessons (unless it's a medical issue or a tiny toddler crying on the ice - at which point we pick the kid up and bring them to their parent). I started skating in the Midwest, where it's perfectly normal for kids to start skating at age two or three because most parents can skate and help their kids out (I first put skates on at 2, and first got on the ice around my 3rd birthday), hence very popular parent and me classes or classes aimed at that age range.
Our rink is in an area without that skating culture, so fewer people skate or start skating that young. When we tried to have a parent and me class, no one attended - the parents didn't want to learn to skate or pay to get on the ice - so we stopped offering it. Instead we banned all 2-year-olds and will offer any 3-year-old a refund if they aren't ready for the first week of classes (ie. crying, refusing to get on the ice, not enough ankle strength to stand up in skates, etc.). We even encourage most 3-year-olds to wait to start until 4 unless they have a parent that can skate or is otherwise willing to accept that their child may not be ready.
Still, no matter how many times we have to remove a crying, scared 3/4/5-year-old child off the ice, some parents absolutely refuse to accept that their child is not ready. I had one parent get so angry that I kept taking their child - who was crying and paralyzed with fear - off the ice that he demanded to speak to my manager. She offered him a refund, but he refused to accept his child wasn't ready. When his child didn't pass the class (because the child refused to leave the ice rink wall) he got even more angry. Despite standing at the boards watching his child learn nothing for 8 weeks.
A lot more parents get angry when their child who refuse to move without the help of a teacher don't pass. Literally all they have to do to pass that first level is skate from one wall to the other with no support from a teacher. If they can't do that after 8 weeks of lessons, maybe they aren't ready to start skating yet. (Or maybe they need another 8 weeks)
@Aussie Willy Maybe it's a cultural thing? In the US, at least where I am, a lot of adult skaters are officials, coaches, skating parents, club board members, former child skaters who took a break, or just adults who treat it as a fun hobby. If anything, the vast majority treat it as a fun social hobby. Most adult skaters skate on social skating sessions where they hang around and talk. I try to practice on them, but it's harder than a freestyle because everyone's just standing around talking and chilling. We even have an entire weekend dedicated to adult social ice dancing!
I've never done an adult competition, but I've heard it's generally a stress-free day followed by chatting and drinks at a local bar. All the adult skaters at my rink treat adult sectionals/nationals as a vacation - some who normally don't compete went one year only because it was in Vegas. They have friends that compete that they meet up with at the competitions every year, and many are friends with the judges and officials, so the judges get in on the socializing. (I heard the year in Vegas more judges than usual were interested in getting that Adult Nationals assignment)
