Every Friday the neighbour and I take our kids to the local pool so they can wade in the warm salt water for an hour or so while we chat. In anticipation of our weekly pool visit I went to Canadian Tire to buy a swim aid for Hunter based on a recommendation from my friend Mel called a puddle jumper. Mel's son Alex has been using his puddle jumper since last year and is real pro in the pool, jumping in and swimming independently without any help from his mum.
Everything went well at first. Hunter chose his own colour, talked about it until he went to bed, and went to find it as soon as he woke up in the morning. When we were getting in the car to go to the pool he insisted that the puddle jumper sit in the back seat with him and he carried it into the change room, eager to get it on. He loved wading in the water and played quietly until I suggested we go into the deep end to try out his new "toy."
Finally, after a couple of minutes of hesitation, I decided to let him go....I've never heard a kid scream like that for absolutely no reason in my life! He was terrified. He screamed and grasped at my arms and shoulders, clinging to my body like he was going to die if he let go. I tried to get him to ease up, but he wasn't having it. I managed to get him to take my hands and I pulled him around the deep end, while I let go of one hand at a time. He smiled a little, but when I let go of both hands, he screamed again and I had to take him back to the shallow end.
Sometimes I find it extremely difficult to think like a toddler. Even after I'd explained to him a thousand times that he couldn't fall, that he'd float with the puddle jumper on, and after he'd been out of my arms and had experienced the floating himself, he still screamed and almost made himself sick with fear. I learned later in the hour that he HAS to have his feet on the ground at all times in the pool, unless he's in your arms.
We'll try the puddle jumper again next Friday. I'm hopeful that he'll feel confident in it soon!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Number 20
I get these emails from different parenting websites everyday. For the most part they are about my children's current expected milestones and other tidbits of information. Sometimes I actually read them and start to click on the various stories and links, falling deep down into the parenting article rabbit hole. Today I came across another disturbing one that listed the 20 reasons why someone should not have children and the 10 reasons why someone should.
Immediately I thought it was interesting that this author couldn't find a balance of reasons, if only for appearances sake, and proceeded to read the entire article. I wont get into them, they were your typical arguments, the ones even the best moms and dads gripe about in their facebook profiles, like not having any free time, or the ability to be spontaneous. However, it was number 20 that really struck me as being the most naive.
Reason number 20 not to have children was DEATH. The author argued that the ever present danger that someone may have a child and that that child may die before it's time is reason enough to never have one in the first place. That never to have loved at all is better to have loved and lost.
It is naivety like this that makes me question the human heart. Is it possible that someone could actually think this way? And so much so that they would market it as good advice?
Every moment spent with my loved ones, especially my children, makes my life richer, and more fulfilled. Sure, I have bad days. Heck, today was one of them. But the love I feel for Hunter and Parker transcends any love I've ever felt. I would gladly lay down my life for them, and if God sees fit to take one of them from me before their time, I'll curse and I'll falter and I'll die. But every tiny moment I've spent with them would have been worth it.
Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever heard a parent say in a time of tragedy, "I wish I'd never had them, for right now my pain would be less."
Immediately I thought it was interesting that this author couldn't find a balance of reasons, if only for appearances sake, and proceeded to read the entire article. I wont get into them, they were your typical arguments, the ones even the best moms and dads gripe about in their facebook profiles, like not having any free time, or the ability to be spontaneous. However, it was number 20 that really struck me as being the most naive.
Reason number 20 not to have children was DEATH. The author argued that the ever present danger that someone may have a child and that that child may die before it's time is reason enough to never have one in the first place. That never to have loved at all is better to have loved and lost.
It is naivety like this that makes me question the human heart. Is it possible that someone could actually think this way? And so much so that they would market it as good advice?
Every moment spent with my loved ones, especially my children, makes my life richer, and more fulfilled. Sure, I have bad days. Heck, today was one of them. But the love I feel for Hunter and Parker transcends any love I've ever felt. I would gladly lay down my life for them, and if God sees fit to take one of them from me before their time, I'll curse and I'll falter and I'll die. But every tiny moment I've spent with them would have been worth it.
Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever heard a parent say in a time of tragedy, "I wish I'd never had them, for right now my pain would be less."
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