I'll catch you

Caroline has recently taken to clinging to my leg when she's faced with a new challenge or person or well, anything new. This wasn't always the case. This is a somewhat new development and I'm hoping to boost her confidence so this doesn't become "the way she is". Jackson has gotten so much better about being shy around new people or activities and I am thrilled. I want them both to have confidence in themselves to try new things and meet new people. (I still struggle with that sometimes and I'm 31 - do not want that for them!)

Yesterday while Jackson was in school Caroline and I accepted an invitation to spend the morning at Pump it Up - our most favorite inflatable place to play. Caroline was a little shy at first (it didn't help that Jackson wasn't there to serve as a buffer) but eventually she could be found bouncing through the maze or sliding down the smaller slide - with me. She wouldn't leave my side. I'd been down the smaller slide with her several times when I asked her if she'd like to try the big slide. Of course, I went with her just like every other time before. When we came down I asked if she'd like to do it again. She did want to, but this time as she started to make the climb to the top I stayed on the ground and just watched her climb. She turned around and instead of whining for me to join her she just smiled and continued to climb. She looked like a pro climbing those inflated steps and without a second thought she plopped down at the top of the slide and pushed off. The look on her face was sheer joy. She had done it ALL BY HERSELF. A first for her. I was thrilled and so was she.

Today at the park she started off clinging to my leg but then all of a sudden she ran off and started playing with the other children. Then toward the end of our playtime she could be found attempting to climb on things that made me very nervous and would have normally freaked her out, too. To my surprise, she slid down tall slides without any reservation.

All the while I was there watching in amazement and there to catch her should she fall. I guess that's really what I hope my kids know - they are free to try new things and when they work out I'll be there to watch in amazement, but should they not work out I'll also be there to catch them when they fall.

That's really what this whole parenting thing is about anyway, right?