The First Snow

A pretty snowy creek 2009

The light flakes are feathering through the sky. Every so often the light catches one of the flakes and it becomes as bright as a star as it travels down to the ground. Pretty little falling snow stars. It is beautiful.

 Ever since Mark has been on the road for work, my two girls that are here at home have been enjoying the use of a car to get back and forth to school. Each morning the pace is slower as they prepare for the day. There is no need for the usual mad dash as they look at the clock and realize that "the bus will be here any minute". They are enjoying the sense of freedom that a car brings to a teenagers life.

 Now let's combine these two natural events, snow and a teenage driver. Not any teenage driver mind you, my daughter and not just any snow, but light slippery snow. My first thought this morning was that I would drive the girls to school. Aly has an appointment after school and Avery has play practice, but it will all work out. I will just get them to school and work out the details later. I would rather be safe than sorry, right? That's how we mom's roll, we do what we have to do to keep our kids safe. There was one glitch. Aly told me she would be fine driving to school in the snow. Now what is this "good" mom suppose to do? If I let her drive and there is an accident, I will carry that guilt with me forever, but if I do not let her drive, I run the risk of making her a fearful foul weather driver. The decision from there was easy…I let her drive to school.

 There will be many more moments in my daughter's life where confidence and self assurance will be required. If I show her now that I do not believe in her even though she believes in herself I would be sending the wrong message. If I do not allow her to drive the short distance to school slowly and carefully today, I might be driving her to college or work another day because she is fearful of the weather. That would not be fun for either of us. It was hard to let her go, but I reminded her to drive a little slower and break a little sooner. After that I acted like it was any other fair weather morning other than asking them to let me know when they got to school as they went out the door. That message came a few minutes later and I was then able to quiet my pounding heart.

 Today was just another example of the tight rope we parents walk with our children. It is unbelievable the time and planning that goes into executing a parenting moment. You just climb up on the rope stretch out your arms for balance and hope upon hope that you get across the teen abyss without too much damage to you or your child. I should caution you though…you should go slowly and break early.