When my son Max was five-years old, I took him to a public swimming pool in the city. We had a blast swimming but when we came out, our sandals were gone from the shoe shelf. The woman at the desk said that we should never have left them there and to remember to always take them with us in the change room and lock them in the locker. Being raised in the city, I should have known this but it had escaped me as I was now very much a rural mom. What I neglected to initially realize was that it was my young Max who was absolutely shocked, puzzled and devastated that someone may have taken our sandals - his sandals! Surprised that someone would take something that did not belong to him or her.
Now fast forward ten years with Max in high school – a new town... a new set of students... At first he decided he didn’t want a lock on his locker. He is trusting and optimistic and I am grateful that at fifteen he is this. Following the second day of school, Max arrived home dismayed that others might deliberately take something from someone else or that they would switch locks, put locks on backwards making it difficult to open and deliberately intend to cause frustration in someone else. I just smiled softly and listened marveling at this fella of mine who continues to have great faith in people. However, after a week, he decided that he needs a lock. Nothing has been taken from him and he is confident that no one will wreak any havoc with his stuff but he now senses the need to lock out others. In some small way, I feel as if I have lost a little part of this amazing soul whom I call son.
…Ellyn
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| Max doing something he is great at - performing! |
I welcome your thoughts on the issue of locking others out, faith in people and/or all things parenting...
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