Thursday, December 8, 2011

How best to climb a tree

I found my son trying to climb a tree; a shrub with branches not strong enough to support much weight. My first instinct was to scream, “what do you think you are doing, just get off that tree!” But then I remembered my childhood. Of how I would spend entire afternoons sitting on the branches of a guava tree reading a book. Of climbing a really high tree, and then getting so petrified I stayed up there till I was carried down.

I couldn’t deny my child those pleasures, could I? I taught him how best to climb the tree.
_____
drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.

5 comments:

Dorte H said...

So true!

Any child should be entitled to climb up and fall down once in a while. One of my really great moments when I was small was when I was stuck up there and my father climbed up to rescue me. With his bad back I didn´t even know he COULD climb a tree, but when he had to save me ....

Patricia Stoltey said...

I used to do a lot of reading on a big limb in a wild cherry tree. It's pretty hard to deny our children the pleasures we enjoyed as kids, no matter how risky they are.

Kittie Howard said...

What a joy it was to read that you let your son do what kids do, even if he falls (as that's part of life, too). I know too many parents who shelter their kids to such extremes I doubt that anyone is very happy.

Sueann said...

Good lessons!! Climbing the tree is a whole new world!! Best he learn the correct way!!
Hugs
SueAnn

Anonymous said...

Natasha - What a lovely Drabble! It captures so well the balance between giving a child roots and wings at the same time. And you gave your son a terrific experience as well as another way to bond with you. What's not to like?

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails