Independence!

Megan has seriously got every adult at her school fooled.  When I picked her up on Friday they told me that she did so great at recess and for the second time this week went down the slide by herself.  What?  She has been refusing to even slide and they have been buying it and sliding with her.  When I told them she had their number she started laughing and put her hand over my mouth.  "stop telling on me mommy".

Today we took the kids to the playground at Megan's school so I could video her sliding, on their equipment, by herself.  We got SO much more than we bargained for.  She had the time of her life.  One of us followed her on the equipment (up the stairs, over the bridge, to the slide) and then slid beside her or stayed behind her while she slid down the slide.  After doing this a few times and not having to assist her at all I decided to try it from the ground.

Megan has NEVER, NEVER, NEVER been on any playground equipment without someone behind her.  She won't climb more than a stair or two without us right there and we won't want her on her own since she will just stop and start coming back down the steps without holding on which she isn't capable of doing yet.

Anyway, I let her go and I stayed on the ground and she did amazing.  Will was on the other side of the equipment protecting the openings and together we had her covered.  She climbed the steps, climbed up onto the bridge, walked/ran across the bridge and slid down the slide 100% by herself 10-15 times.  On about the 10th time I took out my phone and videoed her (which she wasn't completely thrilled about); because she wasn't happy about me having my phone we had to encourage her along, but she still did it.

I shed some happy tears as I watched her do something for the first time; something that was a broadening of her independence.