As a Mother there are certain times when you just have to let go and trust that the way you have groomed your children will spring into action. Yesterday, I sent Christopher off on his first skiing expedition without me so this was one of those times. It was the first ski trip for the Middle school ski club and the kids were brimming with excitement. As I drove out of the parking lot after dropping off all of his ski gear, I had to chuckle as I listened to some of the Mothers.
Some of what I overheard sounded like this- "He always has a sandwich at three- will he be able to eat on the bus"- "How will they carry their book bags and their ski gear"- "I always help her with her boots- what if she can't get them on"- "I have always been with him skiing, this is stressing me out". As I left I found myself comforting a friend who was concerned about her daughter-I told her that she would be fine and she would figure everything out, relax I told her. Im not sure I was much comfort to her but I believe that there are times when you just have to faith in the system.
This was also the first time that I was sending Christopher off without myself or a family member skiing so I understood the concern. I think however sometimes we have to have confidence that our children are intelligent and will make good decisions without us being present.
As I drilled Christopher with my code of behavior for him- he laughed as he is such a type A personality that I may have sounded ridiculous.
I told him that he better not ski in the woods to which he replied " Mom- Im not an advanced skier on the mountain, why would I go into the woods. We both laughed at the realization that he clearly knew better and I sounded silly.
As Mothers we are so used to nurturing and care-taking that it can be a challenge to let go. I feel extremely confident in my children's ability to make the right choices however Im well aware of outside pressures and that is perhaps when I chime in the most. We can't pamper our children all the time, I will admit to spoiling mine on more than one occasion but if we carry their skis and wipe their noses for too long- they will get used to having a servant and life will become even more of a challenge.
Last night as the bus pulled in everyone came piling out with a big smile on their face. Everyone had a great time even if they didn't have their 3 pm snack, their boots were too tight and they had to carry their own skis. It was a wonderful experience and Im thrilled that my son had such a great time. I can't thank the volunteers enough who took on this particular challenge as it was a big one. Im grateful to live in a place that offers such great experiences for my children. Enjoy your weekend. xo
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