It turns out as much as I try to make out like I’m one of those parents who let their kids get on with things, clean up scraped knees and send them back out to play, I am super scared that Princess will hurt herself. We go to the park and I cringe when she asks to go on the climbing frames or anything over a foot off the ground. She is built strong, is scared of nothing but all I see in my head is broken bones.
Imagine the pain when aged three, Princess demanded a pair of roller skates. I managed to make excuses and explained that only four year olds could have skates (nothing wrong with teeny white lie) and hoped she’d forget about it. Nope, memory of an elephant this little one. Off we trotted to Toys R Us for a pair of skates on her birthday. The inline skates she’d been dreaming about all year were thankfully all too big for her so she had to settle for a pair of retro style quads, like the old school Fisher Price ones I remember having when I was little. Yes there was a teary moment when I was whisked back to my own child hood memories.
As much as I’m haunted by images of her falling down and breaking an arm, popping an elbow or breaking a leg, I’ve been spending my time holding Princess by the hand and letting her enjoy her new found passion. It isn’t about my fears but about her dreams. I guess to an extent parenthood is all about that though isn’t it? It’s about keeping them safe, warm and fed but also about supporting them to do what it is that makes them happy regardless of whether it makes us happy or not. Its hard to let your child spread his or her wings but so rewarding to see them happy. We’re going to watch my friend participate in a roller skating competition next week so I’m sure her passion is only going to get greater. Yay me.
