Develop

At just fifteen months old, I am amazed at how much Fisher understands.  Ask him to go take a bath and he runs up stairs to the tub saying bath.  Tell him you are going bye bye and he goes and gets his shoes.  I am always amazed at how quick kids develop at how quickly they really understand stuff.  I think they know and are capable of much more then we give them credit for.  I think they understand even more then we know.  I have a friends kids who snowboards at the age of two and they aren't bad.  I feel like most kids are capable of this type of stuff just that most parents don't give it a try.  We tend to limit our kids along the way.  Sometimes for very valid reasons, sometimes for fear of them getting hurt.  We taught the kids to skateboard this summer.  At first I found myself saying "be careful" a whole awful lot.  I think I was making the whole experience more stressful then it needed to be.  What was I afraid of?  I don't really know, they both wear helmets.  What is the worse that could truly happen?  A broken arm at most, which would be horrible but does it really help to have me yelling "be careful, slow down!" While my stomach is in knots?  I think not.  I just think that fear often holds us back so much as parents.  Not just in teaching your kids a certian sport or activity that could cause hurt but in lots of areas.  Maybe it is just me but I always take it to the worse case when I worry about my children.  When Huck skateboards he bends his knees, puts his arms out and enjoys the ride.  Isn't that what we should do in all things?  Put your arms out when needed for balance but most importantly enjoy the ride, let go and watch them grow.  Our children are amazing, my biggest hope is that they grow up to be exactly who they are supposed to be and that we as parents don't get in the way to much.  That we, as parents, just let them enjoy the ride.