So we find the area that is just for the little kids, the area marked 4 and under...After we had run off all of the 12 year olds who's parents are no where to be seen, we settled in. There was this little slide, with a ladder. She kept going over to climb up and I kept pointing her in another direction. Finally I just let her try, thinking she would get to the top and flip out...boy was I wrong. She did not even pause when she got to the top, after about 5 minutes she was sliding down on her stomach, upside down; we just stood there with our mouths hanging open.
It wasn't that it was extraordinary that an 18 month old could play on a slide...I just really thought of her as more of a baby than she really was. It never occurred to me that she could do it. We left there and went straight to the toy store and bought her a slide. We set it up in our living room and she lived on the thing for the next year!
So 11 years have passed and I have had another "slide" moment. I was going to make pancakes for breakfast this morning. So I got everything out and she asked to help. I was hovering over her, reminding her not to touch the edge of the pan, etc...Finally, I just let go, she did very well. She produced a tower of perfectly cooked pancakes, without my help.
The fact that I have just now let her cook on her own (read-with me checking in only every 3 or 4 minutes) is ridiculous (My mom is reading this and nodding her head). She has been saying that she wants to be a chef since she could talk. She plans do get a degree in business and own her own restaurant, she has taken a cooking class. She loves to cook and I have got to start letting her do it. I HAVE to get over my fear of her burning herself or starting a fire or cutting her finger off....
I am going to try to remember her flying down the slide with a huge grin on her face, and the giant stack of perfect pancakes that she was so proud of and try to let go, a little......
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**It has been reported that the Chucky Cheese in Birmingham has a FULL BAR! Hummmmm...see a need, fill a need....**
**My husband once worked at Chucky Cheese, he was actually CHUCKY!!! He had to do the little dance and song at birthday parties. His showbiz career was short lived, after being hit in the gonads the 2nd time by rowdy tots he was relocated to the kitchen.**
8 comments:
What a great story! I think all parents are guilty of "hovering" once in awhile. I know my two have shocked me a few times - its a great feeling!
Mmmmmm....pancakes. Please send her my way after you teach her a good french toast and crispy bacon recipe. Thanks.
Awww...that post made me teary eyed. I have been this way with my second child. It still seems like he should be a little baby. He'll be 2 next month and he never ceases to amaze me with all he does!!!
Great post. :)
she talked a lot about being a chef when she was here to visit! i think her short stint in olympic training confirmed that for her too!!! LOL! on another note, i had an 8 year old boy of a friends ask me to help him put his shirt on for him at the pool. i couldn't believe this kid couldn't do that, i told him he could figure it out on his own, or i could get LK, my 2 year old to show him how!!!! was i too harsh???? maybe this apt living is getting to me a bit!!!-katfish
Hey - umm... was waiting this morning for my homemade breakfast. No one showed?!?!?!? WTH?
She comes by it honest, look what a GREAT cook her Grandfather Dr. Bob is!!!
I wish I could restart my career
and cook, my kids cant wait till
I cook out on saturdays!!!!
I just heard my middle son perfectly sing the back ground vocals on the DVD School of Rock!!
Encourage her every step of the way!
Love,
The Chuckster
Mommiebear2 - it is the best feeling!
Magaret - I tried, she unplugged from her MP3 long enough to mumble something about "no delivery, but take-out available"
Crazy Working Mom - made me teary too, wondering how many things they could have done if I had just not stopped them.
Katfish - I will be turning over a copy of this to the parents of the 8year old. At least they will know why he started sucking his thumb and wetting his bed again.
Just kidding....
Chuckster - Yeah, Dr.B just made us some WONDERFUL bbq....he has let her help him and she loved it. So Middle-G has da skills? Cool, would love to hear it if y'all ever get down this way again.
Awwww that's a cute story. And I'm still laughing at the Chucky Cheese job.
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