My now three year old is about to embark on a new chapter.
This new phase of development involves her entering a gym, a swimming pool, a classroom as a big girl while Mommy and Daddy wait in the wings, rather than holding her hand or carrying her from one beam to the next.
This graduation into “big kid” came rather quickly and all at once, registering for new adventures, all starting at the beginning of year and this time with me on the sidelines rather than playing a supporting role.
We talked about “big girl” gymnastics and how I planned to wave to Chloe through the waiting room glass and cheer her on. How I would gladly refill her water bottle if she could ever physically drain that monstrous pint which was half her height (is that where half-pint comes from?),in a one hour session. How I would help her with her pony-tail if the coach was unfamiliar with elastic bands or was born without thumbs.
She was ready.
When the coach opened the door to the six kids; two Aidan’s, two Jack’s, a Chloe and a Sofia, Chloe followed tentatively behind the coach over to the floor for a warm-up.
She wavered, looked back at me and then before joining the group in the mandatory wrist-rolling, marched over to the door where she angrily threw it open and yelled, “Why are there boys in my ‘big girl’ gymnastics?”
A solid argument and one I hadn’t considered.
Staying calm, unfazed, “Gymnastics is for everyone Sweetie.”
She came out of the gym only one other time to tell me she was going to play with a toy in the waiting room. I told her it could wait until afterwards and when I sensed resistance, I took a deep breath and reasoned with her I panicked and offered her the chocolate Santa sucker that was on the front seat of the van if she stayed in the gym until the class was over.
She ran back to those Aidan’s and Jack’s as fast as her little, three year old legs could carry her. Sofia had bailed and was on another piece of equipment while her Mother employed the hiding-behind-the-bars strategy in the hopes of getting her daughter to join the crowd in this game of hide-and-seek-gymnastics-for-big-kids-and-their-parents. I’ve played it myself both in round robin tournaments and once made the play-offs.
A great start to operation ‘big girl.’
I think I may have to change some of the verbiage on my contract to ‘big kid’ just to be safe.
