Monday, July 6, 2009

Too Little to Be Knee Boarding


I am going to be a proud daddy for a minute. We took the kids out on Jason and Jamye's boat the other day for some summer fun. Our plan was to take the kids tubing and the adults knee boarding. After exhausting ourselves on the tube Caleb said, "Can I try the knee board?"

My initial thought was, "You're too little to knee board...", yet Caleb kept asking so we decided to let him give it a try. After giving him a brief explanation of knee boarding mechanics he jumped in the water and got in position. All set, Caleb gave us the "thumbs up" and Jason hit the throttle.

I wasn't sure what to expect next (maybe my oldest son being dragged behind a speed boat while gulping in Mona Lake). Needless to say I was shocked when I saw Caleb pop right up as if he had done this all his life! After getting situated on the board Caleb strapped himself in (a difficult maneuver requiring a one handed hold) and rode effortlessly in the wake. The ride ended when Caleb signaled to us that he was all done and simply let go of the rope and eased into the water.

Since when did my little boy get big enough to knee board?

I have realized that it is my role as a parent to give my kids opportunities where they can stretch, explore, and discover. This will at times mean "failure" (maybe even pain). Yet other times, giving them space to try means they not only discover the cool splash of the waves as they skim through the water, but also means that Dad discovers they are capable of more than he thinks they are.

Way to go Caleb!

No comments: