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If there's an obstacle, they will hurdle it


She looked at the mountain in front of her and said, "I think I can.  I think I can,"  after all, that's the book Mommy read to her last night before bedtime.  She had become the Little Engine Who Could.  Slowly, she began climbing.  Building strength and speed.  Gaining more and more ground.  Oh, the views from this height; they were spectacular.  She could see the bathroom sink - even reach out and turn the faucets on.  She could grab the toothpaste - untwisting the cap to paint the sink glittery blue.  The excitement!  She had to share it with someone.  As she looked around at the miraculous scenery, she saw someone off in the distance.  "Mommy!  Mommy!"  Then she crashed to the ground.

A strong rule for mothers - or parents, in general - to know is that accidents will happen.  We cannot completely protect our kids from them.  Yes, we can try to implement safety precautions to delay the inevitable.  But, children are smart.  They learn quickly, hence the reason what was safe last year is no longer safe.  Just like bacteria adapts to antibiotics, our children adapt to the safety measures we construct.  When I look at my children, I see that they look at all obstacles as challenges.  Challenges which they always choose to accept and are rarely disappointed at surmounting.  It may take time, but they nearly always win in the end...whether or not we, as parents, want them to or not. 

This particular instance of my daughter climbing onto the bathroom tub, then onto the countertop led to an ER visit for a very large and ugly looking bump to the forehead after she fell, hitting the edge of the tile countertop on the way down.  Thankfully, there were no lasting injuries - only several fringed nerves for Mom.  And, another lesson that no house, no matter the number of safety features and lack of obstacles, is truly child safe.

Mama Law learned: If there's an obstacle (no matter how big or small or how much we, as adults, think it's not an obstacle), they will hurdle it.

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