Letting go? No way!

First day of our ski vacation and my 8 year old, Josh, and my 13 year old, Jon, woke me up and told me that they want to ski down the mountain. Granted that Jon’s been skiing for ten years and Josh 5 years, the thought of just the two of them going on the lift across our unit and skiing down the mountain is just mind boggling!

Although I took a stand and firmly(?) informed them that “no way” can they go down the mountain by themselves, I had to tell them, “Go ask your father. “. The mother’s guilt of being a “kill-joy” came out. I didn’t want to be the one that kept saying, “no, you can’t” when it comes to activities like these. And they know that I always say, “yes, you can do whatever it is that you set your mind into.” Sounds like two conflicting words to live-by!

That’s why “Go ask your father” is a good back-up plan.
And of course, when I said “Go ask your father”, I hoped that their father is in the same wave length as I am. Luckily, he said “No, you can’t ski down all by yourselves.”
So they had to wait for me to sign them up to their respective camps.

I can’t believe Josh is already 8 and in level 4 in skiing. I still remember when he had to go to “Treasures“, a little indoor camp/day-care for kids under 3. He didn’t want to be in the camp, Even at two, he figured out a way to escape from the camp counselors. He did a “Houdini” on them! I still don’t know how but he reached to the door-lock and unlocked the door and let himself out. There’s no way he’s staying in the camp! (There are multiple rooms and a front desk/office so there’s really no way for him to totally escape and run out of the entire camp without anyone noticing.)

As I see my Josh walking side-by-side with his father, getting into the car to head down to the camp, I can’t help but notice how quickly they all grow. Not long ago, my 3 older kids, now – 19, 17 and 13, were waddling to the meeting house in their skis on their way to their ski camp. Back then, they waited for us to get them ready.

My dear Joshee,
Don’t hurry to grow-up,
I love listening to your silliness,
I love watching you jump up and down,
I love being tackled as you run towards me,
I love carrying you and giving you tight hugs,
I love being your mom.

So when you want to ski down the mountain with your brother,
So when you want to cross the street by yourself,
So when you want to walk home on your own
Letting you go, my dear, is just no way, no way!

( A few days later, I compromised and it was the longest 10 minutes of my life as a mother. )

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Photographs by Jen2 (2009)

Visit Josh at Joshizms : the universe according to an 8-year old

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