Tree Climbing and Free Range Parenting

So, after the double black eye tree climbing incident of 2007, I've been leery of DD's fervent desire to climb trees. Although I've tried hard not to reveal this to DD, my mantra of "be careful" and "don't you think it's time to come down now?" may have given her a clue. So this afternoon, as I'm trying to revitalize her waning interest in washing the car, I see her in the tree, attempting to climb to the top. All was well when I was scrubbing the wheel well and couldn't see her, but I panicked as soon as I saw her up in the tree in her CROCS, which bear some culpability in the 2007 incident. What to do? First, I attempt to wheedle her down from the tree. No dice.

Me: Great job! Don't you want to come down now?
DD: No way. I'm climbing all the way to the top.
Me: I don't think it's sturdy enough at the top.
DD: Sure it is!
Me, panicking in what I hope is silent mode.

I at least convince her to change shoes, as tennis shoes provide some traction. After shoe change, she reclimbs tree and I needlessly hover around the trunk. I decide that being a total wet blanket is no fun for either of us, so I go back to scrubbing wheel wells and pray that she doesn't fall. She doesn't fall. She gets stuck, but she doesn't fall.

I read an article not too long ago about parents who orchestrate their child's every move, thereby preventing them from doing any of the fun, dumb stuff they (ok me) did as kids and lived to tell the tales. So, I'm trying to be a free range parent. I'll probably have to start as the conservatively free range parent and work my way up.

I'm totally, absolutely proud of her for climbing the tree. I am proud of myself for walking away from the base of the tree. Baby steps.