08/12/2025
This morning a few people saw my daughter walking to school with me following a short distance behind. Some asked why. Others gave me that look.
Yes, I know she is only ten. And yes, she was walking because I told her to.
She forgot how to speak to adults with respect, so I told her to walk.
She began confusing her size with her authority, so I told her to walk.
Her attitude toward me and other adults crossed a line, so I told her to walk.
Until she remembers to appreciate the ride she gets every day, she will walk. Until she understands that respect is earned and given, she will walk. And while she does, I will be close enough to know she is safe, but far enough to let her think.
I am not here to be her buddy. I am her mother. I am okay with her being upset with me sometimes. My job is not to protect her from every uncomfortable feeling. My job is to prepare her for a world that will not hand her everything she wants.
Some parents are afraid to hurt their child’s feelings. I am more afraid of raising a child who grows into an entitled adult.
We are not raising our kids to be our friends. We are raising them to become people worth befriending.
So yes, this morning she walked. And while she did, she thought. She reflected. She matured. She learned. She grew.
And I watched. ❤️
