Today, the crazy came out. I’d say I wasn’t proud of it, but the sad truth is that this is just who I am and maybe it takes experiences like this one for me to finally come to terms with it.
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In an effort to “socialize” B prior to starting preschool, we agreed that she would try out a bunch of different activities and then tell me which one she likes so we could actually sign up for something. After offering her a number of options, she chose gymnastics – wouldn’t have been MY first choice given that I have the flexibility of a tree stump, but alas, such is life.
We showed up to gymnastics class on time, which is a rare occurrence for us nowadays. B went in pretty much without a hitch, running back only once to give me a hug, likely knowing that I needed one way more than she did.
I dutifully trudged back to the “moms” section – which was behind a full-length wall of windows – and settled in for the next 50 minutes. Apparently, we all would have been better off waiting in the car, because that’s when it happened.
B, following directions that she was allowed five minutes of “free time” to explore the gym prior to the start of class, made a beeline for the balance beam. Under normal circumstances (with a mother who isn’t me), this wouldn’t be cause for alarm, but my daughter isn’t exactly the most… coordinated… child out there.
As I watched the two instructors facing the other direction on the opposite side of the room, B pulled herself up and prepped to walk across this balance beam o’ death.
Next thing I know and I’m furiously beating my fists against the glass, attracting the attention of everyone in the room except for, you guessed it, my daughter. But after long enough, even SHE must have heard me because thankfully, just inches from stepping out in the middle of the beam, she looked over and saw me.
I guess she quickly deduced that whatever short-lived joy she might experience from continuing to walk the plank would be quickly overshadowed by the actual walking of the plank that would await her when she got home because B – to her credit – took one look and me and then turned around and walked right back down the steps to solid ground.
I definitely didn’t make any friends that day, nor will we be back to that gymnastics class anytime soon. But at least we avoided an emergency room visit, though I guess we’ll thankfully never know whether the patient would have been her or me.