Learning The Hard Way

Do you remember all the things your parents told you not to do as a child?  I do.  And that “Don’t Do” list seemed like it went on, forever and ever.  It was for my own good, I know.   Today, looking back on those warnings, I somehow wish I would’ve listened, instead of going off and doing it anyway.

For several weeks now, our five year old has been under the illusion that it’s “really cool” to climb up onto the window ledge and see how far he’s able to jump.  His dismount is pretty impressive, springing outwards some four to five feet from the window.  The ledge is only 2.5 feet above the ground.  He’s able to land safely and securely on both feet, without a scratch, each and every time.  But eventually, my wife and I knew this wasn’t always going to be the case.  We knew he would eventually slip up, land the wrong way, or even fall and injure himself.  And we told him this, repeatedly, day after day, after day.   And like most child his age, he ignored our repeated warnings to cease and desist.

This morning, we ended up at the hospital emergency room because, Superman really can’t fly!  Luckily for him, it wasn’t major; just a tiny fracture in his elbow which, will easily heal itself in due time.  But for the next week or so, he’s in a sling.  I thought a cast/plaster on his arm would’ve really nailed home the meaning of why he shouldn’t jump from windows.  But the doctor said he’d be far more comfortable in a sling, so I went along with his professional opinion, instead.

As we’re about to walk out of the hospital room, the doctor bent down on one knee and made eye to eye contact with our beloved little boy and said, “Christopher, you need to listen to your mommy and daddy, when they tell you not to do something.”  “Otherwise, you will hurt yourself.”

Let’s see how long this stern warning will last, being that it didn’t come from mom and dad.