It’s funny how you want your children to enjoy what you enjoy. Not because of selfish desires so much as really, genuinely finding joy in certain activities, and wanting them to experience just a taste of that pure feeling of joy.
I find that with swimming. I don’t so much care that she is a great swimmer. But as I’ve been swimming before work, watching the sunrise from my peaceful perch in lane 3 at the YMCA, I find myself wanting Selah to experience the love of water that I have. To just have her be able to participate in something so tactile, so peaceful, and so healthy. (Not to mention that it’s something you can do well into your “older years”…which happens to be about 80% of those around me there at the Montecito Y!).
Fortunately, so far, it isn’t something I’ve had a hard time forcing her to do at all. In fact, quite the opposite. We have to force her out of her baths when she gets cold and wrinkly, we have “tantrum-status” events when we hold her back from the sprinklers, and jumping into pools, lakes, and the ocean are all on her top list of to-do’s.
And this weekend she got to experience her first waterslide. This was no wimpy slide – it actually was a pretty good height, with misting sprayers at the top, and a pool to splash into at the end. Oh, in addition to the 5 other older kids rough-housing around her. In her typical fashion, she seemed pretty unphased by it all, and just did her own thing…much like everything else she does. I might be counting the chickens before they’re hatched, but seems like we just might have a little water bug on our hands…
Seeking Joy With the Wheelers 
Ha ha ha ha; oh, Selah 🙂
I whole heartedly understand what you’re saying. I have the same feelings with Cael. I recently bought an inflatable kayak. I’m so so glad Cael likes being on the water! I hope he enjoys the snow just as much! I’m so happy we are both blessed with active and super fun kids!