I love this tree full of bright little hats.
This spot in the tree is the school bus. Always. Today, Dries is driving the bus.
Ada, exercising due care and consideration going down the 'hill'. I find that, if given enough leash to explore, toddlers are quite careful and aware of their limitations. They're inexperienced and uncoordinated, so they make mistakes from time to time, but mostly, they don't take outrageous risks.
What Ella's doing in this shot, if not taking a big risk? Well, for Ella, that's not an outrageous risk. She's a good climber. The others tend not to go as high ... because they don't feel safe. They don't feel safe, because they wouldn't be as safe.
Risk evaluation: an essential life skill, and one you don't learn without a) taking a few risks and b) taking a few tumbles!
The hardest part, for the supervising adults? To stand back -- without calling out a ceaseless incantation of "careful, careful!" -- and let them try! To stand back far enough that they don't sense your fear (if you're nervous), but close enough to catch them if/when they misjudge something. It's a balancing act, as much for you as for them!
The next most venturesome climber after Ella? Dries! But for all his full-steam-ahead enthusiasm, he doesn't take crazy risks.
We made it home on this day with nary a scrape, bump or bruise -- as we usually do!
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