#Im on observation duty full#

Where my son once welcomed my concern and care, his acceptance slowly became, well … less accepting. With that big stamp of approval, I thought: Wow, I am the best mom ever! But then it all changed so quickly.

#Im on observation duty full#

He threw his arms around my legs and shouted into my kneecaps, “You’re the best mom ever!” Hugging him back, I thanked him for his thoughtfulness and felt full of happy love from my little guy. With a careful saunter and a big smile, I watched him head back over in my direction. My kid took my advice to heart and slowed down. They’re a little slippery on this wet grass,” I said to my then 4-year-old. “Hey sweetheart, you might want to slow down in those shoes. I followed this new intuition and downshifted into what I thought was a more “helpful” space. When he became more aware of his surroundings and knew stairs were for walking down and not for sliding down, I felt my protective urgency relax somewhat.

I have to admit, as my kid grew older, I was relieved that I could slack off a bit. I imagined my ol’ middle-school Safety Patrol buddies totally proud of my efforts, because I can honestly say my son never rode our Roomba down the sidewalk once. There were many days my brain was so exhausted from assessing all the pitfalls and perils to my kid’s safety, that I couldn’t have named even one Paw Patrol character. As he grew, I watched carefully to see that his baby food was sufficiently pulverized and that he didn’t eat his crayons as appetizers.

To ensure my newborn’s safety, I invested in little sleep and large anti-colic bottles. Not one to shirk my responsibilities, I took this task more seriously than a threenager telling their parents what to do.

I was ready to protect him from air bubbles in his bottles and defend him from monsters that hide under beds. When his tiny fingers wrapped around mine, my heart was no longer my own and I knew I had to keep my little one safe at all costs. They grew out of the strong connection I felt the first time I held him. My protective mom instincts were born with my son.