Park thoughts

We often spend a few hours at the park on Wednesdays. I sat there watching Henry play in the mud and sand. And while Sophie and Ian ran about flitting between each of the different playgrounds and equipment, I had a lot of time to just think.

I sat there watching Sophie swing. I love that she can actually swing herself and I don't have to push her. It wasn't that long ago I was still having to push her. We had a lot of "discussions" about how to swing herself and lots of tantrums when I told her that I didn't want to push her anymore, and that she needed to do it on her own. (Or at least try to swing herself before insisting that I push her) She is now so proud of herself that she can swing on her own. She even spent a whole hour on the swing one park visit. She kept asking me the time because she wanted to go a whole hour.

Last week, at the park, I was pushing Ian and Henry on the swings. Pushing two boys was very tiring. I was running back and forth between boys giving each a few pushes. While I pushed one the other would complain that they were slowing down and needed more pushes. I was doing all the work and my arms were getting tired. I thought it was time Ian started to push himself. I was tried to talk Ian through the process of pumping his legs back and forth and leaning his body to swing himself. The conversation felt like deja vu and the same tantrum was thrown when I asked him to try to do it himself. I got tired of pushing either of the boys and especially tired of the complaining and whining so I insisted on moving on to something else.

Today at the park while watching Sophie swing I thought about how hard it is to learn new things and for Moms to teach these new things sometimes. It is worth it when you can see them finally figure out whatever it is that they have struggled with. Sophie now swings with such joy going a lot higher then I ever was able to push her.

Struggles will continue with Ian and then I will get to do it all over again with Henry. Hopefully each time it will get easier. Who knows Henry may just figure it out on his own. He tends to do that.