Ready for the World

Being fearless is not always a good thing.
Unless you're in any branch of the armed forces, where fear is not an option.
When you have a very active three-year-old daughter, who is not afraid to take chances, and still is trying to figure out just why gravity chooses to be her enemy, you kind of wish she'd show some modicum of fear.
But that's not her job.  It's ours.
We have to teach her the ramifications of what a poor decision could cost her.  She could become seriously hurt, or worse.
In last week's column, I talked about how we took her to her first amusement park, and how well she took to the rides.  Then this past weekend, we stepped it up and took her to Kennywood, the granddaddy of it all (according to her, anyway).
Whatever ride she met the minimum height limit on, we put her on.  She conquered them all.
And just about every one she put forth the statement afterwards..."I wanna do it again!"
And most of the time, we did do it a second time.  Except for the stomach-rippers that I can only handle in moderation in my advancing years.
It pleases me no end to see Savannah having this much fun.  Because it's not just about a day out and about, it's about making memories.
And what a memory she has.
Just yesterday, the three of us took a day trip to Erie to take a bike ride on Presque Isle and visit a few wineries near the Penn-New York border.  One of them special to us, as the owners are like friends.
After the wineries, we went to dinner.  It's long been a habit for us to end our day at Quaker Steak and Lube when we travel to Erie.
We have a QSL closer to our home.  We know that.
The QSL in Erie is just down the road from Splash Lagoon, the indoor water park that we took Savannah to this past winter.
And she still remembers it like it happened yesterday.
"I wanna go there again!"
She knows what fun she had there.
And I believe she knows that we know.
And as much as we love our daughter, she knows that while we love to indulge her, she's expected to give some in return.
Asking instead of telling when she wants something.  Potty training is not a request.  Disobedience will not be tolerated.  Same with lying.
Not that these are real problems with her at this point.  But as she has had a fairly trouble-free 'terrible twos',  she is entering her stage of independence and assertiveness in her third year.  And again, while not a problem at this juncture, she does need to be reminded of it.
Because mom and dad will always be forgiving no matter what.  The rest of society is another story.


NEXT WEEK:  School Daze