14 Months, yes I haven’t been good about announcing how things have been going each month but by far, this month has been the most physically active for Emma. She is learning more and more how her body works and what she needs to do to get where she wants to go. This of course means more bumps and scrapes (both of her knees are scraped up right now.) It also means I have been on high alert. Chair standing and stair climbing have become her new favorite things to do and my poor nerves are constantly on edge. Maybe this is why I have become the ultimate helicopter parent.
Emma hasn’t quite figured out that one misstep, one foot wobble and she will come crashing down from wherever she is hanging at the moment. I find myself constantly following, constantly on watch. This is not how I want to be. I want to be the type of mom who lets their child explore and learn on their own, or as my husband says “let her fall, that’s how she will learn not to do things.” Yeah, not sure I’m on board with that one just yet. I am trying to strike a balance, but as of now you can find me walking around with my arms outstretched, hands cupped at the ready. Like an over worked Frankenstein zombie mom ready to catch, grab or swoop in on a bad situation.
Well, all of this of course led up to our morning playground romp on Sunday. Emma was enjoying her swing time and ingesting her woodchip fiber, when she decided that the stairs up onto the playground equipment looked inviting. I of course panicked and raced up the side stairs to beat her to the top while her father watched from below. She seemed to not be too interested in the slides or anything else really, but walking up and down the stairs…that was where the real fun was at. I held my breath each time she went up and down. Each time she got up to me I followed her down to her father. Well, the last time, she decided to take the side stairs down and no one was near her. My husband ran over but it was too late. Emma fell onto the soggy wood-chipped ground. The fall was not far at all, only from the last step, but it was still scary for her (and me) nonetheless.
After a few minutes of hugs and some swigs from her sippy to get rid of the dirt, and Emma was back to her old self, ready to go. Looking back would it even have mattered, was all of my worrying for nothing? I know she will take tumbles, life is loaded with them but, she is still small so I feel like I need to be near her. At the same time, she is big enough to run around a little bit on her own at least. I’m just not sure how to balance the two yet. Perhaps in a few more months after she has grown and experienced more she will be ready for less of me hovering over her.
What are your thoughts on helicoptering? Am I worrying way too much?
No comments:
Post a Comment
I'd love to hear from you!