Joshua wants to water ski so bad. But there is one BIG problem. The legend of the Bear Lake Monster. This is a scary story that is older than me for sure and- depending on who is telling it- scares kids into thinking their is a giant dragon like monster that lives in the lake and will eat them!

So, Josh being six and having been freshly retold the story of the Bear Lake Monster by his cousins was a little scared to water ski.

Not going to show fear he begged to be the first one to go skiing. Having had experience with many a child skier, I said- Why don't you wait and watch a few others ski. But no! He was determined. So, we started the whole process of getting the skis on, sizing them and putting him on the back of the boat. (about a 20 minute process) Once he saw the water he said- Uh mom, I don't want to ski right now. I will do it later. The later turned into the next day as none of the kids were particularly successful- he wasn't about to get in that freezing water.

So, the next day he declares that he is going to ski- after seeing many of the cousins get up and ski. We go through the whole process of fitting the skis again, putting him on the back of the boat and with all of the positive encouragement we could muster- and

1.      Promising there is no Bear Lake Monster.

2.      He won’t drown with his life jacket on.  

3.      Fish will not eat his toes.

He made it into the water!

He sat in the water for 10 seconds before he declared. "I am not going to ski today mom!" Back up in the boat he went. My goal for next time is for him to get in the water and at least to the end of the rope…