Chicken

DH and I were hanging out in the pool on Saturday on rafts just floating around because it was like 100 degrees. The pool felt wonderful and Natalie couldn't wait to get in. She ran in and got her suit on and came back out and I picked her up to put her on her dad's lap and the minute her toes touched the water, she freaked out! It was chilly in the way water is when you first get in it but after only 10 seconds, it was perfect. She wouldn't hear of going in after that. We cojoled her with ice cream sandwiches, Reece's, and even a very off-limits drink of my Pepsi. Nothing worked. But it was still really hot and she obviously wanted to cool off so she climbed into her water table instead and sat down and played while we floated. What a kid.

I'm wondering...do you empower kids to do things they don't want to do to by requiring them to try; or do you just let them be scared hoping they eventually grow out of it? DH and I conflict on this but we're both equally frustrated knowing she'd have a blast if she would just get over her fear. Case in point...little Cooper R.