Monday, April 27, 2009

The Fear

Is it just me, or is the school playground not the equivalent of a war zone? The possibilities for major injury just ABOUND.

As spring has sprung, the kids are all about the climbing walls, poles, monkey bars, ladders, slides ... and all I see in my head are metal bars *CLANG*, chains - *CLANG*, the ground far below- *THUD*, wood chips and sand in the eyes- SPLINTER/SCRATCH/OUCH!!!.

And the warriors, as soon as they're let out of the cage known as school, are just FLYING all over the place. Flying monkeys resembling a hurricane with my little girl channeling Dorothy at the epicenter.

Things were fine last year when she was three. She didn't venture far from me, content to sit in the swing and try the see saw if there was another toddler around to play with. Or just push the sand around with her shovel.

Those days are over. This year, she's out to play with the big boys.

"Be careful, little G, this is making Mommy very nervous. Make sure you take your time crossing those bars, and concentrate when those kids are climbing around you!"

"But Mommy, I am being careful. I'm a BIG girl, I know what I'm doing!!"

"I know you do, sweetie, but it's making Mommy a bit of a wreck, watching you."

"So Mommy, DON'T WATCH ME!"

Clever little thing. I'm already scared.

10 comments:

Tara R. said...

i told my son today to stop telling me to 'not worry.' It makes me terribly anxious to hear him say that. I know exactly how you feel.

Laura Marchant said...

I so hear you on this one!

louann said...

I know! I can relate! I get so tired just chasing after my 3 year old. I end up climbing and jumping and swinging!

Knatolee said...

It's amazing any of us survive childhood, isn't it?

Badness Jones said...

Bad's been climbing the big climber and cruising down the big slides since he was 16 months old. I feel the fear every day, but I make myself tamp it down and let him go (I just try to keep myself positioned beneath him!) because I'd rather he test out his strengths and his limits now, in the playground, within my arms reach, than later, when the consequences could be so much worse than scrapes and bruises.

Good luck mama, do you think they'd be more cautious if they understood how much they hold our hearts in their hands?

Cid said...

Love the video. I went through all that with my youngest. He has to keep up with the big kids and nine times out of ten he is not the one to get hurt. But I had lots of looks from other mothers on the playground as he climbed higher and higher.

Cheryl said...

I am paranoid of a busy playground! To the point that my 4 year old sees alot of kids on the structure and says " too busy, let's play soccer"
My name is Cheryl and I live in a bubble.

Beck said...

My Girl BROKE HER ARM on the school climbing gym! AGGGGHH!
Luckily, I was not there to see it. Because I would still be shrieking NOW.

Laski said...

Oh, is she a smart one, or what???

"I'm a BIG girl, I know what I'm doing!!" I'm not gonna lie, I'm not looking forward to hearing that OR the boy version any time soon.

Kim said...

I love that song.
Just had to say it.
And I literally cringe everytime my kids are running and jumping and knocking their heads..
sigh.

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