There is nothing better on a summer day than the sun shining bright, the sweet smell of suntan lotion and children bolting out of the car towards the play structure stumbling over themselves in anticipation of climbing and conquering the metal twists and turns, especially when you’ve never been there before. I think every parent feels a little warmth in their hearts when the kids run off. Then there’s a Socially Anxious Child. For these children this play structure does not bring excited and fun, it’s a huge metal structure that in some cases can terrify them. For the longest time this was what Sydney experienced. Instead of running forth in anticipation it was her clinging to my leg because there were too many kids, it was too loud, she wasn’t sure if she could climb up the stairs. The worst was when she would get up the nerve to get to the top of the slide and then freeze because someone else frantically raced toward the slide in a game of tag. We used to live across the street from the park and I can remember when Sydney was smaller always thinking I wish she could do that.

We decided to go to a local park that one of our neighbours suggested. It was a park with a great play area and a wonderful creek that you can float around in and at its highest was up to the kids waist. What a day of exploration…frogs, fish and as Sydney’s brother found out leeches. We had a sneaking suspicion that the day might very well be a good one when we pulled up in the gravel parking lot and before my husband and I got a chance to unbuckle the kids, both of them were out the door and running towards the play structure. Sydney even tripped over her own two feet in a furry to beat her brother. There were probably around 10 kids already on the climber and each of the kids chose a different way to get up to the top. Perhaps that isn’t the first time she’s run toward something with such enthusiasm, maybe it’s because this park and the neighbourhood are still so new to me that I’m looking at everything under a microscope. I stood at the car door 30 feet away from the play area and I was in awe.

They played for a little while moving past other children in what looked like a dance going up and down the slide, climbing up bars, through tunnels and all the while Sydney’s voice could be heard yelling for her brother to “watch me”.

The creek boasted just as much enthusiasm as she went into the water before me. It was truly amazing. We walked up and down the creek with and against the flow of water. We saw fish, almost caught a glimpse of frogs, we made a dam and at the end of the day Sydney and her brother were carefully discovering how hard a leeches grasp is when one attached itself to her brothers pants. Luckily not to him! We carefully made him undress and checked his body out for an foreign hitchhikers. You know as a parent you never quite know what duties you’ll be expected to perform and I have to say I’m pretty resilient and I can do a lot but pulling that thing off his pants I couldn’t do it!

After spending 4 hours at the park we packed up but not before one last turn on the climbers. See, I have faith that Sydney can climb mountains because she has the spirit and the drive when she wants to. On the climber there is this twirly slide and next thing you know my daughter was not going down the slide but climbing up to the top with ease. If she’s taught me anything it’s to take things one step at a time because everything leads to something if you have the support and determination.

Be Sociable, Share!

•