Every summer, I’m always amazed at the physical changes in my kids when we visit the park. It’s an excellent system, rather than pencilling in their heights on the back of a door, the park equipment, specifically, their climbing capabilities, has always been a better indicator for growth.
Car-seat baby requires my full attention, holding her entire body as she sticks to the slide, fighting the idea of slipping on her bum, instead trying to walk her feet along the plastic and looks at me strangely when she turtles her way to the bottom, hardly the whimsical “whee” I was expecting from an eight month old. She is propped up in the baby swing and nervously glances around, eyes open wide, wondering what this contraption is meant to achieve and why she can’t just eat the mulch, covering the ground around her stroller.
It’s the two older girls that really caught my eye this morning. They no longer needed my help to climb up the swirly, yellow pole. They didn’t need (or want) me to push them on the big kid swings. They didn’t ask for my input as to where they should fly in the toy airplane today, they had their own flight plans with two layovers and a car rental upon landing. They bounced themselves almost right off of the teeter totter giggling and the monkey bars, once their Everest were a cake-walk. In fact, not only were they able to climb across, Hanna’s toes touched the ground while she slapped the bars overhead with her hands before dashing off to the next apparatus.
I didn’t hear, “Mommy, can you help me?” “Mommy, look at me!” “Mommy, you missed it! Watch this!” Not once.
Where did the time go? They used to be the wobbly-legged little girls wearing hats with chin-straps falling in the sand and waiting for someone older to pick them up and brush them off. Today, as if overnight, they were the big kids doing the dusting.
We recently had a conversation with some friends about hopes and dreams for your children. I asked if anyone wanted their kids to be risk takers and the response was mixed.
I’ve decided it’s those parents whose children are already risk takers who responded, no. Those of us with children who are not currently risk takers answered yes.
My theory is, those kids who take risks, worry their parents because they play outside of our comfort level, over-achieving and showing us they are more capable of what we ever thought possible. We can’t keep up with the gates, fences, seat-belts and the pace at which they run because they are always one step ahead.
Those kids who are not risk takers, seem to miss out on fun, on opportunities and close doors before they’ve ever attempted to walk through. We fear they will not only live in a more reserved fashion but walls they build up will eventually close in and the world of possibilities that once was, will somehow, gradually cease to exist.
I was thrilled to see my three girls playing at the park today. Seeing them grow, watching them solve problems, book a flight without the help of expedia and knowing with each summer season, the monkey bars will not only be within reach but they will one day tower over them.
I want them to take risks, take advantage of every opportunity they can and never be too old to wonder what mulch tastes like.
