The Many Roads Not Taken

The Many Roads Not Taken
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 Ways to Think Positive
By Marya Morin

Real protection means teaching children to manage risks on their own, not shielding them from every hazard.
~Wendy Mogel, The Blessing of Skinned Knees

I was the person who always expected the worst in any scenario. If someone said they had an upcoming surgery with a 98 percent chance of success, I immediately recalculated to a certain 2 percent death. I visualized my son David's mild cough becoming pneumonia. Owing a few dollars in taxes would surely turn into hundreds, if not thousands, before their final assessment.

I spent years avoiding activities that I was sure would end in tragedy. I became a helicopter mom, checking the backyard for anything dangerous before letting David out to play — under my strict supervision, of course. After all, kids were abducted every day, right? I gritted my teeth when he put on ice skates, carrying a small emergency kit in my purse. When a baseball flew his way at T-ball, I prayed he wouldn't get a concussion. If not for my husband's adamant insistence that normal kids need activities and sports, our son would probably never have learned to throw a ball. (Keep reading)