All parents booking for high ropes session at Baggeridge have a same, quiet worry in the back of their minds. What if my child only makes it halfway, panics, and then refuses to budge? What if they start to cry? What if they demand to be taken straight back down again?
The fact is, that is not a failure. More often than not, that's the moment confidence begins to develop.
Why we never make a child climb higher than they want to
Here at Challenge Academy we operate every single session on what is known as "Challenge by Choice". That might sound simple enough, but it actually dictates everything that we do. We will never force a child onto an obstacle they are not comfortable trying and nobody is ever told that they have to get to the top before they can get back down to ground level. Our courses are there to be explored at whatever pace suits your child, on any particular day.
And this is why, next to our main 9m high ropes course, we also have the 3m high ropes. Some children charge towards the highest point without hesitation. Other children prefer to stay at the lower levels for the whole duration of the session, testing their balance at close proximity to the ground, and this is every bit of a success. There is no version of a Challenge Academy session in which a child can "fail" by not reaching a greater height than another child.
What actually happens when a child hesitates
It happens almost every weekend. A child will reach a platform, peer out at the gap in front of them and freeze. Our trained instructors will recognize this as a critical moment and, rather than rushing it, will take a deep breath. We will take time to explain exactly what the child can see and will encourage them to break it down into a manageable and accessible part. Because our clients are all securely attached to our continuous belay system they will be perfectly safe standing on a platform 15ft up in the air. So even if a nine year old does not feel that way at all, they remain in a completely secure and safe environment.
If, after we have taken time to explain and support them, a child is still saying that they have had enough, we will absolutely respect their wishes. We have a treehouse on the grounds for that exact reason so that any child wishing to take a rest or who feels they are done with high ropes, has a comfortable place to watch from whilst remaining safe. They are in no way made to feel that they have disappointed anyone.
Your job is easier than you may think
If you are spectating from the decking area, then it would be best for you to do very little indeed. Please avoid telling your child to do this, that or the other or shouting down the clock. Our instructors will be looking after all the technical aspects of the high ropes adventure so that you can simply relax and look proud of them no matter what choices they make. There are a couple of really useful things you can do however. Prior to coming to Baggeridge, you may like to mention to your child that they are not working to a target. Making it all the way up to just one obstacle and then saying 'that was enough for me for today' constitutes a great success and is not simply a compromise.
Take notice of the small things when watching your child navigate our courses. Saying to your child "wow you figured out how to balance on that one" has a lot more impact and value than a general "well done", because this indicates that you've been watching closely. Allow the debriefing session to take place. When you have arrived home and on the journey home after your session, ask your child what the most difficult aspect was, what surprised them and what they would do differently if they returned again. Children very often find the whole experience is put into perspective during the conversations after the session more so than when actually in the trees.
Confidence does not happen at the top of the course
The bravest action during a high ropes adventure does not often take place at the highest point reached on the course, it typically occurs at a point that other people do not notice - when the child considers giving up and stops moving altogether. But chooses to continue forward and make a further step forward, regardless. This is the purpose for which we are truly there. Not to take every child to the highest point of the 9m high ropes, but to provide a safe, well-supported space for your child to learn exactly what they are capable of. Taking place at their own pace, in their own time. So if your child comes home and informs you that they only went up the low ropes, or that they spent a significant amount of time on just one platform and eventually managed to work their way to the next one; then they should be congratulated. It doesn't mean that the session did not go to plan - it means that it was exactly what it was designed to do.
Are you interested to find out how your child determines their own pace? Book a session with us today at Baggeridge and allow them to lead the way.