my son (8) has just started to ride a f/glass 6.2 that is after 3 years on a big fat blue board and it was hard work
and it was 15 years before i was any good
good luck with it be it is not easy
if it was everybody would do it

Hey,

The hardest parts, and partial solutions are;

1) Paddle Fitness, Paddle Speed, Explosive Power when paddling for a wave - so get fit, or keep fit!

2) Reading Waves, Wave Knowledge - watch and learn, watch the waves, watch others, and watch surf videos.

3) Getting to your feet - you need to get to your feet with good balance... get up smoothly. You can't have too much weight on either rail (fall in sideways), too much weight back you will stall, but a little bit of extra weight on the front early helps get you going...

(4 - once you are on your feet, riding the wave isn't all that hard !)

And I think "3" is still the hardest !! I don't really have any problem with it, but once in a while, everyone stuffs it up !

Might sound basic enough, and look basic enough..... but I'm hard pressed to think of a sport with a harder learning curve at the start....

The trusty Malibu is a good starting point. Forgiving for getting to your feet.... But don't pick up bad habits either....

Exactly New Guy.
The other problem is popping up too early, and sinking the tail.