I Want My Kid to Fall at the Playground

My daughter loves to run, jump, and climb—just like most 3 year olds. At the park, I’m not really a hands on parent. I’d rather sit on a bench, keep an eye on her, and soak up some warm sun. I figure, as long as she’s in my line of sight, and she’s not screaming her head off, she’s good.

No, I don’t want to climb the jungle gym or go down the slide with her. I just want to chill, ok? I know not all parents are like me at the playground. They climb 8 feet up the monkey bars with their kids, go down the tornado slide with them, or just hover, waiting to catch their kid in case of a fall. That’s cool with me.

What I don’t like is when they hover around my kid too. They give her a lift when she’s trying to climb the monkey bars or help her stand up in a swing. Then they’ll look at me, like I’m not doing my parenting duties.

Guess what? I want my daughter to fall off the playground equipment.

If she’s trying to scale something that’s 8 feet high, of course I’ll be there. I’m not going to give her boost. I’ll show her how climb over it. If she trips and falls, I’m not going to run over and pick her up. I’ve taught her to dust herself off and keep going. If she’s seriously hurt, she’s going to let me know. Believe me, she’s got some great lungs for that.

Many parents seem so scared to let their kids get hurt. Guess what? Kids are resilient, and they heal pretty fast. I want my daughter to be independent and not worry about every stumble she has. It’ll make her stronger.

Remember when we were kids? Our parents let us run around the neighborhood by ourselves. I would come home with scrapes and bruises. My parents wouldn’t grill me on where I had been or whom I played with. Crazy, right? Today, you can’t even let your kid walk to soccer practice by himself. The police comes calling.

Let’s relax a bit, parents. Yes, the world is a dangerous place. If we shield our kids from everything bad or hurtful (and we can’t), how will they be able to deal with it when they’re older?

Oh, and if you see us at the park, it’s okay to let my kid fall. I want her to dust herself off and try to climb those monkey bars again. And she will. Cause she’s tough like her mama.

An original DC Metro Moms post.

When Thien-Kim isn’t ignoring her daughter at the playground, she blogs her crafting and Passion Parties adventures at Passion & Art.

Photo via Mish Mash