I’m a tad bit selfish. I don’t want Jackson to grow up. It’s not just because he is so cute that my heart aches, or because he is so innocent and unassuming that it makes his mother cry. I don’t want him to grow up and be subjected to the daily bologna that happens on your way to adulthood. I don’t want MY monkey to be bullied in grade school, labeled a punk in middle school, broken-hearted at the hands of fickle adolescent girls, cut from a sports team in high school, and hazed in college or the military. I’d rather be with him, all the way, just helping him navigate the rough waters. But alas, I promised myself that, ABOVE ALL THINGS AS A PARENT, I made the following vow: I WILL NOT be “a helicopter mom.” I will not be a mother that hovers overhead, intervening in all aspects of life as to not have my son be disappointed, get hurt, or fail.
So today, I take that vow seriously and with all good intentions, I take a step back. I know there are many days to come, at the rate that he is growing and maturing, when Jackson will have hurt feelings, be disappointed, rejected, and even heartbroken. (Although it is certain that he will be the one breaking many hearts around the world with those blue eyes.)
On a whim, we went to the park this afternoon on our way home. I decided to test out my ability to not intervene and just let this boy be a boy (AKA - What Would Daddy Do?) So instead of "shadowing" and redirecting him, I stood back and bit my tongue. He ran with sticks, dug in piles of mud, ate a few handfuls of dirt, and jumped from rocks. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating a tad, but holding back and letting him explore was still tough. MOM = SAFETY, but there is a fine line, between being cautious and HOVERING. I'm keep my helicopter grounded for now, but no one said it would be easy.
