in a blink of an eye

Not very long ago I had this beautiful enlightening conversation with this fellow (a bit older and a lot wiser) mom who opened my eyes to a thing or two on parenting. I came home and eagerly shared all of her blunt input with N.

Apart from the fact that she reminded me that I didn’t marry my kids but I married my partner she tried to make me see how important it really is to let our kids be free. She argued that if we always take care of them and be one step ahead of them we actually teach them that they are incapable of learning to do things on their own. I realised that sometimes I am indeed the person who is a bit on the overprotective site. I decided, then and there, that I will do my best to let a bit go and even managed to convince N. too.

However, I am a strong believer of instincts and when your instinct SHOUTS at you for one reason or the other you better DAMN LISTEN.

Yesterday, N decided to let go. He did not hold Yianni’s hand while passing the street, he was just one step behind him. And then it happened. He got distracted, decided to pass the street without looking and got ALMOST ran over (ALMOST, a simple word that would forever change our lives). I saw his life passing in front of my eyes. 5 years in a blink of an eye.  My heart stopped. Or so I felt. I was numb. If N. had not shouted and stepped in front of the other car to pull Yianni away and if the car had speeded, if, if, if…I can’t even think of the if’s. It is way too painful…

To cut the story short. Forget all the mumbo jumbo parenting advices. SAFETY COMES FIRST. ALWAYS. And when it does, I don’t give a shit If I am the overprotective parent. If it saves my kids life, so be it.

xxx

T