The high five

A couple weeks ago, I took the kids to a swimming pool that had a high dive. I have to tell you about my little Garett. He jumped right in line behind Tate to jump off, not really thinking through whether or not he really could go through with it. He walked to the end of the board, looked down, looked over at me with fear in his eyes, and then turned around and walked back down the ladder. We had a little pep talk, he tried again. He came back. He tried again, looked down, came back. This time in tears. I told him he didn't have to do it. It was fine. We could come back again next year and try. Three minutes later, he was back in line. Determined. He walks to the end, looks down, then turns around to climb down the ladder. He stands in line again. At this point, I am seeing visions of tears of regret at bedtime. So I give him a big speech about overcoming your fears, obstacles often seem bigger than they really are, you don't want to have any regrets, etc. Truly motivational stuff that Mom's are made of. This time, he goes up, seriously considers jumping, sits down on the end of the diving board, tries to scoot his butt off, gets up and climbs back down the ladder. He sits next to me for a minute and we continue my motivational soliloquy. I told him just to go run and jump off. Not to look down. He jumps in line. When it is his turn, he runs down the board...and then looks down. Dead halt. He starts to climb back down the ladder. Just as he is climbing down the ladder, a kids says something to him. He gets this huge grin on his face, turns around, runs, halts, looks down, knees wobbling like there is no tomorrow, and JUMPS!!! The entire pool erupts. Cheers, dancing, high fives. He gets out of the pool and, of course, the first thing he wants to do is go do it again. I say, "Stop! What in the world did that kid say to you that made you turn around and jump?" He says, "The boy said he'd give me 5 bucks."