A Note on Fear
Monsters under the bed terrify my little one. Thunder almost brings her to tears. The threat of drowning in the pool, however, does not even phase her.
I take the little one to the pool today and before I know it she is taking off her sandals and running toward the deep end. She is two and cannot swim. "I gonna go swimming, Daddy," she shouted as she left me in her wake. I, of course, rushed off in full lifeguard mode and barely saved her from disaster. After a few consoling words like "Honey, you don't know how to swim so please don't leave Daddy," she allowed me to corral her and take her back to safer waters.
It wasn't long before she eyed the big water slide with some interest. I thought she might be scared so I urged her to hold on tight. We launched ourselves from atop the slide and she held tightly to my legs sensing that it might be scary. When we swirled around and were deposited at the bottom I waited for the scared cry. Instead, she just slithered out of my grasp, almost drowned, and then stumbled up the stairs exclaiming joyously, "I go again. I go again."
I guess I should be grateful and happy that my child is so independent and fearless, but, just yesterday, she wailed in agony because my wife wouldn't let her travel two blocks across a main thoroughfare to see her 13-year-old friend. Oh, its going to be a long battle with that one.
I take the little one to the pool today and before I know it she is taking off her sandals and running toward the deep end. She is two and cannot swim. "I gonna go swimming, Daddy," she shouted as she left me in her wake. I, of course, rushed off in full lifeguard mode and barely saved her from disaster. After a few consoling words like "Honey, you don't know how to swim so please don't leave Daddy," she allowed me to corral her and take her back to safer waters.
It wasn't long before she eyed the big water slide with some interest. I thought she might be scared so I urged her to hold on tight. We launched ourselves from atop the slide and she held tightly to my legs sensing that it might be scary. When we swirled around and were deposited at the bottom I waited for the scared cry. Instead, she just slithered out of my grasp, almost drowned, and then stumbled up the stairs exclaiming joyously, "I go again. I go again."
I guess I should be grateful and happy that my child is so independent and fearless, but, just yesterday, she wailed in agony because my wife wouldn't let her travel two blocks across a main thoroughfare to see her 13-year-old friend. Oh, its going to be a long battle with that one.
posted by Cool Dad at Thursday, March 24, 2005
1 Comments:
Tom, I hope you will always love that little girl and encourage her to be independent. I remember the incident with you and your independence at a city park in Burley. You wanted to go down a slide on your own, or a swing, I don't remember, usually I would rush over and make sure every thing was safe. This time I didn't and I told your mom you needed to be more independent and you WENT BY YOURSELF, you severely injured your wrist. I was so mad at myself. In looking back, that was okay. You turned out just fine.
Dad
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