Her Smile, Priceless

On a tricycle ride on my way to work, I was with a mother with a 2 or 3-year old girl. The mother took the seat beside me and the little girl sat on the ‘baby seat’. The little girl stepped on my toes, one of which was swollen (the reason is another story). Since, I decided to start my 365 days of happiness; I just moved my toes away from her little foot and looked for a reason to be happy in this scenario.

As we got near the school zone, the tricycle had to slow down several times as it neared the humps. Each time it slowed down, the little girl’s head bumped a bit in the vehicle’s front panel. Her mother was trying to convince her to sit in her lap instead (I assumed, so she won’t get hurt), but the kid stayed.

My profound interpretation of this simple incident happening before my eyes:

The child: "I am independent and proud of this accomplishment. Look, Mom. I bumped my head a bit but I held on. I did not fall. I am happy.”

The mother: “I wish I could hold you in my arms to keep you safe from harm.”

Me: “This child must be real proud. Her smile, priceless! Just like a kid riding a bike and saying: ‘Look, Ma, no hands!’”

My reason to be happy: the little girl has reminded me of the importance of setting expectations, which could also be true in other aspects of life, like work and relationships and fun. Her mom could have said, “you can sit there but you could get hurt.” instead of trying her very best to convince her child to sit on her lap

Kids have to given that choice, a choice to be independent, and the freedom to explore and learn. However, we should set expectations that they could get hurt in their choices. Sometimes, parents would rather keep their children safe, waiting for a perfect time to let them go, but the perfect time does not come. In an effort to protect them, we sometimes deny them the freedom to learn, even from their mistakes.

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