Not the Only Ones Anymore

This week, prompted by circumstances of the past few months, I found myself pondering something I hadn't yet considered as a parent. I came to the realization that Nick and I are no longer the only significant influences in our babies' lives, and that little by little, they will be exposed to more and more of the world, both good and bad. I look forward to them learning about all the wonderful cultures across the globe, the places to explore, and the opportunities that await them. But what I am not happy about is the fact that I won't be able to protect them from the corruption in our world; from getting their feelings hurt, from being scared or feeling hopeless, or from being introduced to nefarious behaviors and habits. This led me to the reminder that time is passing by too fast, and my babies are growing up far too quickly.

Obviously, learning and being exposed to everything in our world is a part of growing up. That is expected when children start attending school (even preschool), and I am glad about that. When we sit at the dinner table and the kids count to one hundred by tens, or they tell me the names of all the planets in order from the sun, or recite the seven continents, I beam with pride. However, there are other things that the kids are learning at school, from the older children in their class, that I am not happy about. They are picking up behaviors that I do not care for (mind you, they are mostly harmless), and it is these unfavorable pieces of information and actions that remind me that I can't protect them from all the hostility in our world.

It started this fall, when the kids started singing about Justin Beiber one evening after school. No big deal, right? The chant "Justin Beaver has a fever," wasn't all that bad, and the dance moves to go with it were even a little comical. Then, about a month ago, Addy and Asher started using the words "poopy" and "stupid." Not good. We had a discussion about bad words and name calling. The worst offense occurred about a week ago. As Nick was re-tucking Addy into bed in the middle of the night, she turned to him and said, "Dada, (name of friends) told me that I am going to die at swimming lessons." Aaaaaa! I don't think that Addy even knows what dying is. We certainly have never talked with either child about that aspect of life as of yet. Therefore, the fact that her friends at school told her this probably didn't have the impact they were hoping it would have. And luckily, she went to swimming lessons the next Wednesday with the same amount of enthusiasm as she always has, so I don't think she was affected by the situation. Actually, I think I was more bothered by the circumstance than Addy was. No one has the right to scare my baby girl!

I know that growing up and experiencing emotions like fear, sadness, and heartache is all a part of life, and I am willing to let it happen to my babies. I really don't have much of a choice in the matter. But, I am hanging on with all my might to keep Addy and Asher little and innocent for as long as possible. The world is a big and scary place, even for adults. I DO want them to experience the world; to travel and be introduced to all the wonderful cultures and beauty the world has to offer. If I had a choice, I'd let them see all of its attributes and avoid most of its negativity. I want Addy and Asher to learn, grow, and follow their hearts, without apprehension or fear. And I want them to know what the difference is between good and evil and how to navigate when in the face of adversity. But at the same time, I feel like the world we live in today forces kids to grow up to fast, and if I could stop time from elapsing for just a bit, I would. Our blessed lives are passing by too quickly and I'm not a big fan.

Let's just take a "time out" and stay at this age for a while before we move on: