Freedom
With the exception of in the water, I really tried to give the kids some freedom this weekend at the campground. I let Parker bike around anywhere without me. He had such a great time making these big loops, stopping at the pond or somewhere else and coming back. He was tearing around with Lincoln having a blast.
Elizabeth and then Miranda wanted to join him from time to time. Elizabeth could pretty much keep up, but kept doing her quick stops which was pretty dangerous on the gravel and I was sure she was going to wipe out. Since Miranda still isn't really pedaling, she is quite slow using her bike like a balance bike. So I had a talk with them. I told them to stick together. I also told them that if one kid got hurt, Parker should ride back to tell me. And if Parker got hurt, Elizabeth should ride back to tell me. They agree and took off.
About 7 minutes later, I see Roy walking down the path carrying Miranda and her bike. (She was just frustrated about a hill and perhaps hit her chin on handle bars although it was unclear.) I took her and we went to find Parker and Elizabeth who were at the pond. Here is the conversation we had.
Me: "Remember how I asked you to come find me if someone got hurt?"
Parker: "We didn't know someone got hurt."
Me: "Why didn't you know?"
Parker: "Because we were so far away from her."
Me: "But you were suppose to stay together."
Parker: "But we knew she was ok because Roy had her."
Sooo, which is it Parker? Did you ditch her and really not know she was hurt or did you stick with her and just ignore it all and the rules?
In any case, that was the only mishap and they had such a great time, I just loved it.
2 comments:
Today Lincoln and Allison were going around picking up things, hugging them and saying "I really, really need this" and cracking up. I asked them where they got this from and Lincoln said it was a fun game Parker taught him when they went up to the fishing pond, and they were doing it with their bikes and other random things. Makes me wish I had gone up to that pond and spied on them a bit to see what silly things they were doing.
Parker's idea of "game" is questionable, but yes, they love that, "I really needed that!" Some kids at the TBB outing today was saying it. Another favorite is "Planet in the Sky!" and they hold up a ball to the sky. Hilarious.
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