Trust

A little about the picture in the last post.  My daughter, M, on the ATV with me is 3-years-old.  We had taken her older brother and sister out on the ATV’s earlier and they loved it, so M decided she really wanted to go.  I came back with her sister and waited while they got M ready and transfered the gloves and 70’s style, golden flecked, helmet.

M started crying, saying she didn’t want to go and the helmet was too heavy, which it was for a 3-year-old.  We took the helmet off and put her on the ATV, where she was still crying and not wanting to go.

“Okay, we won’t go,” I said. “Just let Mom take your picture.”  Now, I have to confess, I was always planning on going.  The Wife was of the same mind, nodding at me to just go.  So the picture was taken and faster than my mind is usually capable of, I pictured the future of taking her for a ride when I told her I wouldn’t.

What would happen to the trust she has in me?  No doubt it would have been hurt.  Maybe not irreparably, since she is only 3.  Or maybe more since she is only 3. There was no way I wanted my little girl to think Daddy lied.  In the split second these thoughts ran through my mind, my heart almost broke at the mere thought of just hitting the throttle and saying, “See, I knew you would like it.”

I leaned down and asked her again if she would like a ride.  She said no.  “I will go real slow.”

“You won’t go fast?”

“No, just slow.  Do you want to go?”

She nodded nervously.  I crawled up the hill and down the path a bit.  “See, it’s not scary.”

“Just go slow.”

“I promise.”

About 100 feet down the path she said she wanted to go back.  I didn’t argue.  The fact that she was brave enough to do what she already had done was good enough for me.  We returned to cheers from the fam for M’s bravery.

I felt great knowing that I helped her conquer a fear.  I felt even better knowing I had done it while keeping her trust intact.