I know this is probably against the playground rules.  And I know this probably sets a bad example for the younger children.  (As if they hadn’t already thought about it and are just waiting till they get bigger.)  And, as a nurse who has spent a shift or two in an ER, I know this isn’t the safest physical activity.

But I also know what a climber I was as a kid.  How my mom panicked every time I went to the top of the tree in our front yard.  And how absolutely confident and careful I was.  And if I really didn’t feel sure I could make it, I didn’t try.

Maybe it’s a holdover from their gymnastic days.  Or maybe it’s just the male drive to conquer.  Maybe it’s just that boys will be boys.

What if he falls?

What if he doesn’t?  What if I stand by and cheer him on  helping him learn how to take his time and test each step. What if, instead of panicking in the face of negative possibilities, I help him learn patience, endurance, and caution in place of  fear, defeat, and impatience.

And when he gets to the top and is king over all he surveys, What if I’m just a tad proud of him.

Just a tad.