Pfft. This has not been my week for deals.
Most of you know that Josh is super-scared of the water slides at the water parks, even small ones. Now that he is getting taller, he has been deemed too big for the baby ones, which creates a problem.
So the last time we went to the waterpark, Matthew decided that for a Cars 2 diecast metal car, he would go down the slides. He did, and loved them. Josh, not so much. The more we pushed, the more he pushed back.

So a couple weeks ago, I said, "Ok Josh, I'm ready to make a deal. Name your price."
He said, "How about thirty bucks?"
I said "DONE! THIRTY BUCKS and you'll slide down a slide, I'd be happy to pay it."
Well then he started bawling and said he wasn't going to do it. I said, ok, fine. I casually asked him a few days later what if a DS was involved. He cried again and said he really wanted a ds but there was nothing, NOTHING that would make him slide on the slides. Again, I said, ok, fine.
Today we went with a bunch of friends who were almost all younger, and who were all sliding on at least a few of the slides. He said he wasn't going to go on anything but this 3 foot tall slide. I said, "ok," and he said "would you really buy me a ds if i went on one of the big slides?"
I said- "If you try all of the slides in this area, at least one time, I will buy you a ds. Otherwise, you can get a Cars 2 car and that is it." Mind you, he wasn't hearing of any of this a mere 2 hours prior, so I figured I was made in the shade.
I come back from the bathroom, and he notifies me he is going to go on 1 big slide. I say, ok. So we all go down the 1 big slide. Then, I told him we were all going to go on another of the tall slides, why didn't he come up and just play around while we slid down? When we got up there, he decided to slide too! By that time we said, "Well you might as well finish it off now-- lets go on that last big slide! Then you can do all the smaller ones and get your ds!!"
AND HOLY MOLY HE DID IT AND HE LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I should care that I bribed him and I should care that a DS isn't cheap but I really do not!!!! I am so proud of him, and so glad that I was actually right and he did love those d@mn slides!!!!

Well, I know how much this issue was giving you heartburn, especially when he was making Matthew scared, so I think it's great. Whatever it takes!

Hey I don't think you should feel guilty at all. You got him to overcome his fear which is a wonderful thing! Maybe the next thing you try to get him to do he will trust that you know what he will like. I'm happy and proud for him!!! I bet he was proud of himself too.

I think it is great too!

WTG Mom and WTG Josh!

Oh man, it WAS giving me fits-- just because I knew he would love it, and he didn't trust me. And he did love it! It would be different if I were asking him to go on the speed slides, lol.