Another episode of “I totally rock at this parenting thing.” otherwise known as “Things I will certainly regret as my children grow.”

This summer we got summer passes to a pool near our house.  We did this last year (at a different pool) and the kids loved it and we loved it.  It’s nice to be able to go to the pool and hang out–especially as the kids get older and more independent.

So, this pool, has a diving board and a slide.  For the slide you need to be the dreaded and ever-elusive 48″ tall.  Noah is certain he is never going to be 48″ tall.  And. His. Life. Is. Ruined. Because. He. Can’t. Go. Down. The. Slide. Oh, just you wait little man, your life will be ruined by so many things–mostly your parents telling you NO.  We happened to go to the pool one afternoon last week, when I took off work early and ran into a friend of his from school, who isn’t going to his school anymore.

So, they were playing and then wanted to see if they could go down the slide.  And like the good, polite, rule-abiding kids we are raising them to be they stopped to ask the life guard if they were tall enough. I know, it is so cute before they grow out of that whole phase.

It was a sad moment for him (and I am so proud of how he handled himself) as his friend was allowed to go down and Noah wasn’t.  Even though his friend wasn’t really tall enough either–clearly there is a sliding scale for the whole 48″ thing.  So, Noah came back over and I could tell his little heart was broken but he dealt with the unfairness in stride while his friend went down the slide a few times.

We stayed at the pool later that day then his friend and as I watched the slide line, I noticed some kids who were clearly shorter than Noah and it got me thinking–there were some lifeguards who were very by the “rules” and others who see the 48″ as a guideline.  I pointed this out to Noah and told him the next time we/he goes to the pool he should just walk up there and get in line to go down without asking if he is tall enough and see what happens.

Fast forward 12 years, when he is 18 and walking up to buy beer in the college town like he knows what he’s doing–I totally win at parenting.  Totally.

So, he was able to go down the slide the next time he went to the pool for  a while, then a new life guard stopped him, but the next one didn’t.  He’s like the Raptors in Jurrasic Park learning where the weakness in the fences are.  He couldn’t have been happier. “Mom, I did what you said and it totally worked.”

I know–the rules are there for his protection and I totally get that.  But he can dive off the diving board into 12 feet of water and swim to the side all by himself–I think the slide might be a little less dangerous.

So, I have taught my son that rules are just guidelines and if you act like you belong somewhere–people won’t question you (most of the time).  Yay for me.