Peenie Wallie: 4th of July Weekend

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July 01, 2005

4th of July Weekend

We got the DUKW running today, then Jennifer asked if we could go fishing, which I thought was an excellent idea. So, we went to Evergreen Lake where Jennifer played while I played with a couple of fishing rods. She wandered along the Summer of the Colorado shoreline, retrieving trash and oddities from the lake, collecting them into a small conspicuous pile. She scaled a stone wall and walked down it and back several times, perched about four feet above the dirt path around the lake. I wanted to tell her "Stop. Get down from there. You'll fall and break your arm." But I didn't say anything. At some point, a child has to grow up. Has to make their own decisions. If you harp on them their whole life, when will they ever find themselves? When will they ever learn to test themselves? So I didn't say anything to her, and she never fell.

She walked down to the water's edge, and then walked into the water wearing her running shoes. But I didn't tell her to get out of the lake. I didn't want to spoil her summer fun. The lake is solid for half the year. What harm could possibly come from getting wet and muddy? Isn't that what growing up is supposed to be like?

I remember my childhood, playing in the pouring rain, getting soaked to the bone. Playing in the mud until we were covered beyond recognition. We'd slink home and mom would make us take our clothes off outside we were so muddy.

So, I didn't bat an eye when she waded into the creek and got her shoes wet. Didn't challenge her when she walked up and down the stone wall, balanced precariously above the ground. These are her salad days, and I'm not going to paint the world as a noir place. The world is here for her to discover. I see it as my role to take her out into the world, not to molly-coddle her and place barbed wire parameters around her life.

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