What's the Worst That Could Happen?

 

Last winter, Lotta had a field trip ice skating with her class at a local park (Tenney).  She was NERVOUS as she'd never been ice skating before (I know I know, you can totally judge me right now as being a poor example of an upper midwest parent. In my defense, there was a New Year's Eve celebration we attended that included ice skating and everyone HATED it.  I suppose, I just never tried again after that big fail.  Still.  We ARE in Wisconsin, therefore any judgment you have is justified.)  

Sometimes when I find myself overwhelmed with anxiety, I ask myself, "What is the worst that could happen?"  It helps to ease my anxiety as I go through the scenarios in my head, playing them through to the end, figuring out a game plan.  So, I inquired, "Lotta, what is the worst that could happen?"  Immediately, she responded, "I could fall through the ice and die."  Ok.  Wow.  She jumped right off the high board into the deep in right off the bat.  I

suggested that if there were even the slightest possibility that the ice would break, the 4th graders would most likely NOT be allowed on the ice.  Furthermore, the ice rink where they were skating is basically a fairly shallow pond.  Even if the ice were to break, you would have to WORK at drowning in a pond that MIGHT come up to your knees, possibly your waist or hips. After begging me to NOT make her go on the field trip, she ended up having a FANTASTIC time, I was able to meet her at the end of the trip, and even skated a bit myself that day.  It was SO windy, that you could stand on the ice with your arms outstretched and the wind would blow you across the ice like a sailboat. 

Upon recounting our story at dinner, Zibbi was sorely disappointed, because at the time, the ONE life's wish she had was to go ice skating.  She couldn't BELIEVE how incredibly lucky Lotta was.