The Arch

For most of my motherhood so far I've been that mom that talks her kids into doing things that may scare them, but that I think they will be glad that they did. I convince them to go down water slides, I talk them into scary roller coasters, I dare them to try to flip off of the diving board. But yesterday when my 9 yr old decided it would be too scary to ride to the top of the St. Louis Arch with his brother, my friend and her children, I just said, "That's ok, you can go through the downstairs museum with me and the little kids." So, he didn't go. When they returned from the top of the Arch all excited and showing off their photos, he ended up saying, "Man, I wish I had gone up there. That looks like they had a lot of fun." So, I began reprimanding myself in my head for not talking him into going up there with them. I started thinking I really failed as a mom, not talking him into something he would have really enjoyed. And I think the reason I failed at doing my usual talking him into it, was because I, myself, wasn't so sure about going up there, so I just let him be scared and miss out on the fun. My only consolation in this is the thought that perhaps he learned a good lesson, and will be more adventurous on his own next time, and won't need his mother to talk him into something that he isn't sure about. Perhaps he will remember this day, and remember the feeling of missing out and make the brave decision on his own next time. Also I don't want to forget: -I just got home from the gym and upon seeing my blisters on my hands (from doing pull-ups and weigh lifting) Charlie (2) says, "oh, wow, Jack hurt you? Jack hit you?" I keep telling him that it wasn't Jack, but he keeps asking me if Jack did it. Then he finally switched over to asking if it was Ben who hurt me. When I explained about it being from a bar at the gym when I was doing exercises, he finally says, "ohhhhhh, a bar, Jack hit you with a bar." I swear Jack has never intentionally hurt Charlie, but I think the one injury Charlie recalls, does involve he and Jack wrestling, and so to Charlie, Jack is the culprit whenever there is an injury. Also, he wanted to kiss my boo boos. So sweet.