I totally fell into a frozen bay on the St. Lawrence once. And my sister had done it the week before. Water in winter is dangerous.

And I’m probably going to do it at least once in my parenting career.

Parents are stupid that way.

I eventually took him to the ER because he was showing signs of a concussion and possibly a closed head injury. He was fine. Not even a bruise where he landed. He enjoyed going into the CT scanner, though, so it wasn’t a complete waste.

I could easily have said”Nope, never again.” but I didn’t. I let him play outside again the next day.

Get back on the horse, as it were.

I suppose I can chalk it up to being an unnatural mother…I don’t fear, I don’t worry…I trust, in myself, in my son, and in the Gods of small children…I believe that kids need to learn their limits, sometimes through blood and tears…they need to experience the world without their parent’s filters…and I know that all I can do is my best and hope he survives me, the world, and childhood relatively intact.

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

You have the Road, I had the Creek. I remember proudly returning home one fine day during my 5th winter to proudly boast how my friend and I walked the length of the frozen creek that that was close by, and how I heroically pulled my friend back through the broken ice when she fell through, one piece snowsuit and all. I can still remember the horror in my mother’s face and voice.

But that was the 70′s – who the hell let’s their kid wander off at 5 or 6 down a highway road or a frozen creek? Luckily (or sadly, i suspect) we don’t do that anymore.

The lure will always be there though, just hold them tight when you can, and let them go when you can.

thanks for sharing!