STORM CLOUDS

The skies were dark and ominous; the clouds were swiftly sweeping the sky. Thunder could be heard in the distance. The blossoms from the Bradford pear tree were showering the yard as they were dispatched in the brisk breeze. Even so, Lindsay sat on my lap in the rocking chair on the covered front porch. She played, smiled, and laughed totally oblivious and with no fear or apprehension of the approaching storm and rapidly deteriorating atmospheric conditions. As I kept an eye on the weather, I noted how Lindsay was totally dependent upon me to keep her safe. Her mind was on whatever four-month-olds think about and it was up to me to decide when we should go in to a safe place. It reminds me that there are many times in a child’s life that they are dependent upon their parent’s wisdom. As children become more independent, they look to their parents less while relying on their own experiences and wisdom. Unfortunately, they tend to do this earlier than parents would prefer and earlier than what is best for the child in the long run. These are the moments in time which define parenthood: Whose wisdom is going to control the child’s upbringing? Many parents admit that they surrender much of their parental prerogative during the “terrible twos.” The child so stubbornly wants his way that the parent/grandparent gives-in to attain peace. Yet, we know that by the time the “twos” roll around this child has already made major emotional inroads into the head of the household. The child’s wisdom becomes a dominant force long before its time, as the child was more stubborn about doing wrong than the parents were stubborn about doing right. While Lindsay is a ways from these dynamics, she is already sorting out her likes and dislikes. For now, I’ll keep rocking on the porch while watching the storm clouds for her.