Mike Meoteith， owner and namesake of Mike's Surf Shop， said the Birdsongs are unusual for the area. "We see a handful of dad-son combinations， but it's very rare that we see a son， a father and a daughter，" he said. "It's far from an everyday event."
There's reason to think that the Birdsongs may be at the leading edge of a trend.
"We're seeing much more of this at municipal skate parks，" said Miki Vuckovich， executive director of the Tony Hawk Foundation， based in California. The foundation supports the creation of public skate parks in low-income communities across the nation.
A sport for all ages
"Rather than presenting skateboarding as a youth-oriented activity， we're showing that it's a family activity，" Vuckovich said.
He said a generation of skaters who came to the sport during an explosion of its popularity in the 1980s still considers skateboarding a lifestyle， not a hobby. "It's become part of the mainstream. Today， we have parents， business owners， city council members who are skateboards. As a result， more skateboard parks are being built，" Vuckovich said.
He cited statistics saying that 65 public skate parks existed in the United States in 1996. Today， there are around 2，500.
After a recent skating session， Harper and Miles took off their pads and got ready to head for the car and home. Dad took a moment to give Miles some encouragement. "How's your hip？ He asked. "Good，" Miles answered.
"You looked really good out there today，" the father said.
Life lessons can be taught with skateboards， Birdsong's pep talk suggests.
"Everybody has to try one new thing each time out，" he said， talking to his kids. "You don't have to succeed. You just have to try."
Word
Municipal （adj） of or belonging to a town or city.
Youth-oriented （adj） making something appealing to and suitable for young people from one ramp to another ramp toward the front or the back
The mainstream （n phr） the way of life or set of ideas accepted by most people
Pep talk （n phr） a short speech intended to encourage people to work harder or to try to win a game or competition.
There's reason to think that the Birdsongs may be at the leading edge of a trend.
"We're seeing much more of this at municipal skate parks，" said Miki Vuckovich， executive director of the Tony Hawk Foundation， based in California. The foundation supports the creation of public skate parks in low-income communities across the nation.
A sport for all ages
"Rather than presenting skateboarding as a youth-oriented activity， we're showing that it's a family activity，" Vuckovich said.
He said a generation of skaters who came to the sport during an explosion of its popularity in the 1980s still considers skateboarding a lifestyle， not a hobby. "It's become part of the mainstream. Today， we have parents， business owners， city council members who are skateboards. As a result， more skateboard parks are being built，" Vuckovich said.
He cited statistics saying that 65 public skate parks existed in the United States in 1996. Today， there are around 2，500.
After a recent skating session， Harper and Miles took off their pads and got ready to head for the car and home. Dad took a moment to give Miles some encouragement. "How's your hip？ He asked. "Good，" Miles answered.
"You looked really good out there today，" the father said.
Life lessons can be taught with skateboards， Birdsong's pep talk suggests.
"Everybody has to try one new thing each time out，" he said， talking to his kids. "You don't have to succeed. You just have to try."
Word
Municipal （adj） of or belonging to a town or city.
Youth-oriented （adj） making something appealing to and suitable for young people from one ramp to another ramp toward the front or the back
The mainstream （n phr） the way of life or set of ideas accepted by most people
Pep talk （n phr） a short speech intended to encourage people to work harder or to try to win a game or competition.