What is fear(lessness)?

School’s out and we joined the annual summer migration of Brits across to the continent.

We tried a Eurocamp for the first time. On the drive through the campsite, I felt a little ripped off to discover there were also ‘local’ campsites. Have we been sucked in? Anyway, that’s beside the point.

The camp was a paradise for kids – extensive swimming pools (my son drooled at the pirate ship), waterslides, swimming lake, fishing lake… which we all felt a lot of love for given the heatwave we were right in the middle of.

It was intriguing watching the kids gain confidence in a new environment, particularly my daughter,

Day one was focused around the ‘little’ pools. Day two, my daughter was keener to try the waterslide – as long as she went down with me. I was more inclined to try reading my book on the lounger we’d managed to snag in a shady spot so tried to bolster her courage to go it alone.  After the first time, she then wore a groove running, I mean walking, up the stairs.

From there, day three, she graduated to the pontoon. My son thought a significant run up was necessary (picture fast bowler, rather than spinner). She too thought this was a great idea. She paced it out, built up speed… and came to a screeching stop at the edge, paused for a look, then jumped in.

I thought next time she might go for it, or at least take a shorter run up. But no, she was adamant. It had to be the entire length of the pontoon. To then stop. And repeat the process.

However, sometime between try three and 10 it all came together – the run up smoothly moving into a dive/belly flop.

Best day ever.