Parking

Sofia

It's a joy to watch you at the park. We stopped at a new park today. You headed straight to the swings as usual. Today was different though. I gave you big pushes, higher and higher, as you requested. In the past you have enjoyed the thrill for a little while and then seem to get scared, suddenly asking to get off. Today, I kept pushing and you smiled, giggled and loved every moment, not a trace of the fear as you flew into the sky, legs pumping, toes inviting tickles, my phone camera unable to keep up with your pace and movement.

You made your way around to every piece of equipment, investigating, exploring and testing. Occasionally, you discovered you were too small to climb up or use the equipment according to its designers intention. To my delight you found alternative ways to play on or around it.

We often watch you on the slide, intimidated whenever a boy (or pack of boys for they do seem to travel in packs) appears. Today, you were still a little wary but you seemed less interested in worrying about them and more engaged in climbing, sliding and trudging through the sand to do it all over again. I see these as small steps in building your confidence as important building blocks for the greater things you will do some day.