As a family, we've finally gotten to the point where we can all go on the water park rides at Seabreeze. So the adventurous 8 year old of mine wants to do all of them. And my cautious 7 year old is a little more... conservative.
Mary Grace announces she wants to go on the Helix, where you essentially get shot down a tube leading to a toilet-bowl like area, then into a sparkly clean pool. She was motivated to do it the whole time, and after the first time couldn't wait to go again.
William wanted to try a new ride so I suggested "Riptide", which is a moderately fast moving water slide with a bunch of banks left, right, left, right, etc. He announced, yeah I want to do that one! So we grabbed a tube and he announced he changed his mind and actually didn't want to go.
So we put the tube down and walked away and he then announced he actually did want to. So we grabbed the tube and headed up the stairs. After the second landing of 5, he changed his mind again! Walk all the way back and he head out of the area.
So we go back and forth like this a few more times, until he suggests that I try it with Mary Grace while he watches (I guess the theory is that if we make it, it's ok for him to try?). So Mary Grace and I did it with much success.
OK, he says, I'm ready to try it. So we pass the second landing, third, fourth, and we're on the top platform "Umm, I changed my mind, I don't want to go". :(
So I take him aside and try to convince him to go. And he REALLY wants to go, but the fear is holding him back. My poor little boy was so torn that he started crying. I gave him a pep talk and with tears rolling down his face, he agrees to do it ("but with my eyes closed the whole time"). So we get on the raft and 3..2..1, we go. And I see him look up after the first bank. Then I hear him laughing after the second bank. And I sense his excitement after the third, fourth, fifth, all the way to the bottom into the big pool of water.
"THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!"
So my brave son overcame his fear and made his dad super-proud. And we went on again and again and again, and had a blast!
