Ring of Reassurance

Today, with Ian's school in all-day-teacher's-meeting mode, I took a personal day and went with the family to an indoor water park - woops, I mean "resort" - attached to a hotel. Of course it was great fun going down water slides with Ian, watching all three children go down the "kiddie" slides, and just relaxing "en famille." And there was one especially beautiful moment.

I sometimes worry about Young Ian growing up too fast. But this development put me at ease, somewhat: Ian and I played "Ring Around the Rosie" in the pool. Totally his idea. The point was to dunk down into the water on the queue of "We all fall down." But for me, the point is that my seven-year-old-boy asked me to play Ring Around the Rosie with him. This is one of Madeleine's favorite numbers, even though she doesn't get all the words. But Ian is sufficiently naive and innocent that Ring Around the Rosie was an activity worth pursuing.

As most of us know, there's plenty of time to grow up.

(March 11, 2011)