My Child Can Fly

I am an early childhood educator. I am also a stay at home mom. I care for several toddlers and preschoolers at home with my own child. I love to watch their little minds work and have often said that someone should write down all the funny things these brilliant children do while they are learning about our world and how it works. I decided I would start keeping a journal and share the everyday miracles that are our children.
The day after her third birthday, I walked into the living room to find my daughter standing precariously on the back of the sofa, clutching two dozen pink and lavender balloons. My first reaction was alarm. She could fall and hurt herself. The look of determination on her face made me delay the "You are going to break your neck" lecture. Instead I went with, "What are you doing?"

My tiny twenty five pound dynamo calmly replied, "I'm gonna fly off the couch with my balloons. They gonna carry me up." Of course, at this point she leaped off the back of the sofa, landing safely on her bottom, on the soft cushion. She made this attempt several more times, trying to jump higher, hoping for lift off.

After she realized it wasn't working, I suggested tying a small doll to her balloons. The appropriate doll was selected and her tiny fingers wrapped the pink ribbons around and around the doll's leg. Success! Polly Pocket floated gently up to the ceiling, dangling upside down by her tiny little ankle.

I could have stopped her when I saw her on the back of the couch. I could have insisted she sit on the couch; explained that it would never work. I could have told her that she was silly. She would have been denied a valuable lesson in physics and the law of gravity. I allowed her to experiment, encouraging perseverance, a skill that is in short supply in this 'give it to me now' world.

How many of us 'grownups' have wished we could fly away clutching a colorful bouquet of birthday balloons. The wonder of a child's imagination, it's sad how quickly it fades. We soon succumb to what society tells us we can and cannot accomplish.

My little girl did fly with her balloons that day; if only vicariously through her little dolly friend. I look forward to many more adventures to share with her.