“Ten”acity 

A trait I learned from my ten-year-old.

I have two boys that are 14 months apart. Cameron, my oldest, just turned ten. He has always been mild-mannered. As a toddler, if I had to take him to work with me, he could sit quietly and draw for hours. Once we went to a firework show that started at 7 pm. I was a new mom and didn’t quite understand that for a child to wait from 7 pm to 9:15 pm is a REALLY LONG TIME! Cameron sat patiently waiting for the show. 

And then there is my second child who is the exact opposite of his brother. He is my “active” child. 

As toddlers I labeled them. Cameron was going to be my studious one and my younger child was my adventurous one. I also pegged my younger son as being the more athletic one, because he is a risk-taker and incredibly brave. I now understand how wrong I was to label them. 

Cameron has tenacity.  I did not fully comprehend the power of tenacity until I watched my son in action. When Cameron is determined to be successful, he completely immerses himself in the activity. He studies, he practices, and he succeeds! I know it doesn’t come as easily for Cameron to push himself out of his comfort zone physically and mentally as it does for my younger son. 

The first time I watched Cameron succeed as an athlete was in soccer. Cameron joined the sport as an eight-year-old. He watched soccer on Youtube every day. If he wasn’t at team practice, he would practice his drills in the backyard. He worked so hard at soccer, that in his first year he was drafted to play for the travel team. 

During the pandemic, when team sports were shut down, both of my sons took up skateboarding. Like he did in soccer, Cameron studies, watches, and practices skateboarding every day. A year later, he is far advanced on a skateboard for a child his age.  Older kids have taken interest in him because of his skillset and have begun to mentor him. Parents often comment to my husband and me about how good he is. 

I am much too old to get on a skateboard, and I don’t want to literally fall. But I understand the metaphor, when you fall, get back up, dust yourself off, and try again. Like Cameron, you will succeed. 

Skateboarding Resources for Napa Valley Families

Boardgarden 

When I think about shopping locally I think about Boardgarden. They have been a part of the Napa community for nearly 30 years. The owner, Kevin O’Brien, is very patient and caring with my boys. He has spent countless hours making recommendations about types of skateboard decks, the best wheels, trucks, bearings, and grip tape. In addition to selling skateboard and skating apparel, they also have a large selection of snowboarding and wakeboarding equipment. 

Kennedy Skatepark is one of the largest skateparks in Northern California.  It is 30,000-square-feet and cost $1.4 million dollars to build. It has several bowls, ramps, and street skating elements. It is also well lit for evening and sunset sessions. The skater teens are polite, kind, and respectful. It gets busier on weekends from people all over the Bay Area. We tend to go more midweek or early on the weekends. We have never had an issue at the skatepark. Park hours are 7 am to 10 pm. Helmets are required. 

St Helena Skatepark is located in Crane Park. Although it’s half the size of Kennedy Park at 18,000-square-feet, it packs a mighty punch! It doesn’t get as busy as Kennedy Park, but visitors do travel from all over to skate. We like to get A&W Root Beers after a grueling skate ‘sesh’. The park hours are 8 am until dusk. Helmets are required. 

Cameron & Caleb at Crane Skatepark, St. Helena

About Claudette Shatto 

Claudette is Napa savvy! Coupled with her upbeat personality she is the perfect new addition to “The Vine” on-air team.  

She has lived in the Napa Valley for 21 years. She is married with two elementary-aged children. 

When not on-air, Claudette is a Professor at Napa Valley College. She teaches Social Media and Digital Marketing for the Napa Valley Education Foundation. She is also a contributing blogger for Napa Valley Kids.  Her passion project is teaching leadership to first graders. She is currently writing children’s books incorporating the entrepreneur/ growth mindset. 

You can listen to her on-air Mondays and Fridays from 3 to 7 pm.