Yesterday I cleverly mixed a family day with my training when we went together to a park. While I was running the kids played in the children's playgrounds within the park.
My wife was with the boys and when I'd finished I found the eldest, the 10 year old, sitting sadly by himself. My wife told me that he wouldn't try the slider and she had been a little angry with him. While we love him dearly he is a wimpy kid and won't do anything that he is uncomfortable with.
In my best father's mode I told him....
"Look I just finished running 1km laps as fast as I could and each one was bloody painful and even though I thought I don't have to do this I could just quit and jog the session I sucked it up and finished knowing that it is only by doing things you don't want/like to do that you grow and get better."
"So get up there and slide down before I show you what it feels like to suffer the real pain of my foot up your arse!"
I know some will think I'm an arse for such rough treatment but I really believe that this lesson learnt early will save him a lot grief in the future and it's a case of being cruel to be kind.
My son did end up grimacing down the slide and I couldn't resist the "You'll thank me for this one day!" to which my wife replied "Mo eee!!" This can be roughly translated as "That's enough already!" (Always accompanied by the rolling of eyes).
You told the boy good!
ReplyDeleteVery true we should all push past our comfort zones a bit every day to grow as a person, well said Scotty.
And well done for not being a wimpy dad :]
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ReplyDeleteWe should never feel 2 old to play on a slide!
ReplyDeleteBut if there is a sign saying maximum age 10 and the park keeper spots Tess and me sliding down head first there could be a slight problem :]
My eldest used to be a bit on the wimpy side. Then, one day, he completely turned, now he can't keep out of trouble for more than a minute at a time.
ReplyDeleteBe careful what you wish for.
My youngest was the same. He cried (screamed) every time he had to try new things. He worried way too much. He threw up the day he started high school but I didn't let him quit because things seemed hard and now at 17 he embraces new things.
ReplyDeleteIt's not like it's a steep slide, either....
ReplyDeleteWell that isn't the actual slide in question Bob, just an image to help with the story. Actual slide is a pretty bloody steep one!
ReplyDeleteMy son isn't a total wimp, he is my son after all and it takes at least 45 degrees to worry him ;)
It's a bloody steep concrete slide?! Only the Japanese, masters of TV game show torture, could come up with something like that. You cruel and heartless bastard Scott!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, lucky I'm not a father - I probably would have been pushing the kids out of the way and taking too many turns on the slide!
ReplyDelete