finding balance

I am always trying to find balance in learning and growing for my little girls. I firmly believe that the best way to learn is to experience something first hand, but I am also not going to knowingly put my girls in harms way. When I started to post this first picture on Instagram I thought about this balance and what other's would think about me letting my baby up on the railing like she is. Would I get flack? Definitely. Would people express their opinion and call me a negligent parent? Probably not. Would anyone agree with my choice to let my girls test their limits a little? Hopefully. 

I love that my girls try new things and that they are always testing their abilities to see what they are capable of. That being said I definitely don't let them do things I know they will get hurt doing. We have found a good balance, well at least I feel like it is a good balance, in how we let them try new things. Especially with my youngest, who I am certain will be a professional rock climber one day, we make sure that we are close enough to grab her if she loses her balance or gets scared but not totally hands on the entire time so that she feels like she is accomplishing it on her own. After a few tries, if she is successful, we take a step back and let her do it on her own. Always close enough to keep her from harm but far enough so that she know, for sure, that she is doing it on her own. 

I am not saying that this is the best way to go about raising your children, just that this is the way we have found. I was very much one of those children that needed to do something for myself to learn (insert touching everything that was hot to make sure my mom was right when she said it was hot) and I think a lot of that comes from my desire to feel in control. I don't want my girls to feel like I am trying to take all of the control away from them or for them to feel the need to over correct and go crazy. My hope is that helping them feel this balance between doing it on their own while I am right there to save them will give them a sense of control yet safety. 

How have you found that balance in your parenting? I would love to hear any suggestions you have on helping your little (or not so little) ones flourish!