'but will she jump?'

Me finishing my current post at the end of the month was in the newsletter that went out this week and gradually various children and parents have been asking me about it.

One 4yr old girl who I'm pretty close to is not impressed. I was trying to cheer her up by explaining that Bonny, who will be the new full time teacher, is one who has worked at our kindergarten in the past and I know she's a great teacher.

At the time we were up on top of the big boxes outside, stepping (for me, jumping for her) from one big box to the other, going up and down the three that make 'steps' and round and around in circles across the tops and planks between the big ones. This is a game we have played together for a while - she doesn't need to hold my hand to do this, but she clings on tight - mainly I suspect to make sure I go where she does! To get down from the blocks I'll often sit astride the parallel bars slide and slide down to the ground. There is usually a blue mat (thin crash mat) by the highest box that the children jump down onto (some hardy souls, or should that be soles... ignore the mat and simply jump barefoot straight on to the bark!). Due to having dodgy knees I don't jump down except in emergencies, much to the childrens' disdain, after all what was the point of climbing up there if not to jump down?

The children think it is funny that I climb up on top of the boxes with them as none of the other teachers do. So I was explaining to my small friend that Bonny was the sort of teacher who would climb up on the boxes with her too, so she'd still be able to play this game even after I'd left. She looked at me through narrowed eyes, considering this extra bit of information. Then she nodded, 'okay' she told me. There was a pause, then the big question 'But will she jump?'

Now Bonny several years ago would've done, that is for sure, but whether her knees are still up to that I have no idea, so I was careful how I answered. 'If she still can she would, we'll ask her when she gets here eh?'. She decided that was okay, but indicated quite clearly that she'll reserve judgement in terms of full approval until she knows for sure.

It looks like I'll probably be there until the end of term doing lunch cover hours anyway until they get a new lunchcover teacher sorted out, so the chances are that game will have run its course before I leave. But the question 'but will she jump?' has stayed with me; yes Bonny has jumped at the chance to come back, but what will I be prepared to jump for? And will my jumping be tempered against the wish to protect myself from discomfort and pain? Or will I end up jumping anyway as what I'm jumping towards has to be dealt with now and can't wait for a slower or alternative approach? I guess only time will tell.