All By Myself!

Up the ladder

As parents we are often afraid to let our children try new things, or do things on their own. Sometimes we are afraid they will fall down and get hurt. It's hard to let go and be confident they can do it on their own. As a parent I had no choice, and I had to learn to let my children do things on their own.

Getting up the big snow pile

My middle child is a little daredevil, and she will keep doing it until she gets it right. She has fallen may times, and gotten right back up (even with repeated warnings from mom or dad) and done it over again. Until.

When she was one, it was hard for me to watch her keep trying to climb up the ladder on the climber. I was afraid her little foot would slip off the rung, or that she would miss the rung completely, and fall right through. My worst fear, her little teeth getting knocked right out of her face.

Climbing up to the top and right back down again

But not my girl. She would make sure her foot was in the right place before placing it down, and hold on tight with her hands as she climbed. And she did it. On her own, momma (or daddy) hovering nearby, arms out to catch her when she fell. She rarely did.

Balancing act

As she grows, she is ready to explore more things, climb higher and I will be right beside her, to catch her if she falls, to guide her along if she needs it, and to kiss the boo-boo's when she gets back up to try again.