She believed she could, so she did

Mary has been wanting to do the monkey bars at school. She never mentioned it to me, she kept it to herself. It was her own, personal, quiet goal.

She believed she could, so she did

She had wanted to try, but she hadn’t tried yet. She hadn’t even climbed the ladder. There were plenty of very valid excuses — David broke his arm on the monkey bars last year. Plus, her friends like to play tag. It’s easy to avoid the monkey bars. Also, she was scared. It was something she’d never done before, and those bars are high.

She believed she could, so she did

Last weekend we went to a nearby park, and Mary marched straight up to the the ladder, climbed it, and went across the monkey bars. She did it without making any sort of announcement or preparation. She did not ask for help or look to us for reassurance.

But after?

I’ve seen more subdued Super Bowl celebrations. If we had had a cooler full of Gatorade on hand, dumping it on her head would have been completely appropriate.

She believed she could, so she did

We were all so proud of her. The whole family showered her with high-fives and hugs as she jumped around and pumped her fists. And then she celebrated for real by going back and doing it over and over again. Tom took a video, and I took pictures.

She believed she could, so she did

“Mommy, I can’t believe I did the monkey bars!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t even practice, I just did it!”

“You know what that means? That means this whole time you’ve been ABLE to do the monkey bars,” I replied.

“YEAH!” she shouted, pumping both fists in the air. “All I needed was the confidence!”

She believed she could, so she did

As I mom, I spend so much of my day holding little hands, steadying the bike, and giving reassuring smiles that it becomes second nature. You offer a boost before they even ask for it. And for the child, knowing that your hand is there is part of the magic of childhood, mom is always there when I need her. 

But then you spend so much time giving support that, without even wanting to, you start to believe that you are not just a piece of the process, but a necessary part of the process. Helping becomes second nature; you do it subconsciously and almost believe that without you, nothing would be possible.

If she’s going to cross the monkey bars, I need to be there to spot her or at least be her cheerleader.

She believed she could, so she did

One day you mention trying the monkey bars and they respond by shrinking away from the suggestion.

Then another day, they climb the ladder, reach out, and take a risk. And you stand and watch as they reach from one bar to the next, legs swinging wide from the effort. They didn’t need your hand because in all that time holding on, they were building the confidence to let go.

She jumped down and ran back to us to celebrate her accomplishment. I am so, so proud of her. For me, the real joy was not just her achievement, but in the moment that she decided to let go. She became successful when she believed in herself; when she decided to prove to herself, and everyone else, that she can do absolutely anything she wants.

She believed she could, so she did

 

 

13 Comments

  1. Shelby February 28, 2019

    What a brave little girl! Way to go!

    Reply
  2. Meaghan February 28, 2019

    One of the best parts about being a parent are moments like these!

    Reply
  3. kristen February 28, 2019

    Awe I love how happy she looked! You can tell she was so happy and proud of herself!

    Reply
    • amandakrieger February 28, 2019

      that pic of her proud face makes me smile every time i see it!

      Reply
  4. Caitlin February 28, 2019

    This is definitely one of the best things about being a parent!

    Reply
  5. Marna Altman March 1, 2019

    Yay! Love that she did it on her own terms. what a proud moment for both of you.

    Reply
  6. Lisa March 1, 2019

    Aw, that is awesome! Congratulations to her – I love the proud look on her face. And you’re awesome, mama – way to help her build her confidence!!

    Reply
  7. Sarah March 1, 2019

    This is so encouraging! Her little face looks so proud too. This was motivating fore as an adult…. It also goes to show the self confidence and determination you’ve instilled in her too! Love it

    Reply
  8. Sarah @ Sweet Miles March 1, 2019

    Aww sweet girly girl! I love that she is so obviously proud of herself. Tender moment for sure, mama 🙂

    Reply
  9. Michelle March 2, 2019

    So sweet!! She’s so brave!

    Reply
  10. Candy March 2, 2019

    So proud of her! My littles haven’t been able to master this yet. We will keep trying. I will most likely read this post to them as an inspiration.

    Reply
  11. Kristin March 2, 2019

    This is fantastic! Love seeing young girls learn to be brave, confident, and to believe in themselves!!

    Reply
  12. Anh March 2, 2019

    Yay! Congratulations, sweet girl!

    Reply

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