Overcoming Fears

Ryan used to love to swing high when he was very young, and then something happened when he was about two (we have no idea what) and he became terrified of moving through space whether it was swinging or being lifted up off the ground or whatever. Once when we went to see the Singing Christmas Tree, Daddy took him to see the orchestra pit during intermission and was going to lift him up so he could see better. Ryan FREAKED out, threw himself flat on the floor crying and would not budge (or listen to reason) until Daddy promised not to lift him up again. Thankfully I was at the other end of the stage and pretended I didn't know those two disruptive people! I still tease Ed that if he wasn't such an ogre of a dad who always heaved his kids into orchestra pits this never would have happened.


Today he was too afraid to stand up on
these, but he's doing better overall!
The last several months he has begun to loosen up a bit and do some things he previously wouldn't even consider. He likes to be pushed in the swing more than just one tiny push and is even climbing on the outside of jungle-gyms several feet up in the air. Last night he asked Daddy to throw him up in the air, and though he grapsed at Daddy's arms and shirt, he did allow him to do it several times. Sounds minor, I know, but really it's a very big step for him!


Sometime recently Ryan learned to pump his legs to get himself going in the swing, and he said something yesterday while he was doing that that I wondered if I'd hear him say, "Higher, higher! I can't make it go high."