So, I think I have officially become the worst doctor-parent ever. My colleagues are appalled by my actions, although they are polite enough to hide most of their shock, but the look in their eyes say it all as I tell them that I let, helped, and encouraged our 3 and a half year old daughter climb a tree.
Let me explain a little bit. Liliana has always been our climber. When she was a year and a half, we put here in the bottom bunk of a bunk-bed. Even though we put things in front of the ladder (which is at the end of the bed), she would figure out how to climb up things to get to the top bunk. And then there's the playground near our house, where there is a slide that has a climbing wall (pretty close to vertical) as one of the ways to get up. Liliana has been using this climbing wall for about a year now.
Recently, she's been bugging me about planting a little tree for her. When I asked her why, she told me that she wanted to have a tree to climb, but that it had to be a small one. So, last Sunday, we were out in the front yard swinging Mattie and, having a small maple there, I placed her on the lowest branch. She quickly figured out how to stand up and climb up the first few branches, loving every moment.
4 comments:
Cute pictures! She definitely is a little monkey. Can't wait to see you guys!
That's good parenting in my book! She totally knows what she's doing but it's hard to sit on the side and watch.
Keep up the good work guys!
Its not bad parenting ; ) we let the kids at the preschool climb trees as soon as they felt comfortable and let them go as high as they wanted. I think its the most important that they realize what feels safe for their body!
Maybe I fit into the bad parenting category too... I let Mattea climb trees her whole little life...she's now 7. She has been stuck and has even fallen out of a tree and she still enjoys the climb.
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