KELLY BROWN Mum's the Word... Little daredevil is fine with '˜never mind' reaction when he tumbles

All that pure joy and delight at running around, climbing, sliding, and going on the swings is amazing.

They haven’t a care in the world.

Now compare that with the look of terror and panic on the faces on some of the parents in the park as they desperately follow around their children – ensuring they don’t hurt themselves during their adventures.

Now my little boy may be only 17 months old, but he is already a bit of a daredevil – and I think that is entirely mine and my husband’s fault.

We have never wrapped him in cotton wool.

He loves being thrown in the air (and caught!) During his swimming lessons he happily throws himself in the water, and every time we spin around and around with him he goes into a fit of giggles and cries ‘again’.

Also, whenever he falls over – unless he really has hurt himself – we always say ‘never mind’ and encourage him to get back up.

At the weekend I went with my friend and her three-year-old girl to the park and I let him climb on the small climbing apparatus and slide down the slide, with just a little bit of help from mummy.

He loved being able to join in with the bigger children and enjoy himself.

But after he had been on the slide he slipped on the wood chips and fell over.

And while I continued with my usual ‘never mind’ (he was perfectly fine, by the way) my friend’s reaction was to rush over to him, pick him up and give him a massive cuddle.

He was a little bemused and I felt absolutely terrible.

Suddenly I felt as though I looked like a totally uncaring mother as my friend rushed to my little man’s aid while I stood by.

But a few minutes later, after beating myself up, I was again helping my little daredevil climb just a little bit higher.

Meanwhile my friend, who told me her little girl would have burst into tears if she had fallen over, was again running around like a headless chicken after her daughter to ensure she didn’t hurt herself.

Maybe my way is better after all.

A flipping good move

Pancakes have become my husband’s obsession.

Since discovering how to make them (yes, I know it is not difficult) he loves whipping up a stack of them.

Sweet or savoury, it doesn’t matter, he will offer to make either.

This is definitely something to be encouraged – who knows how long this mini cooking obsession will last?