Kids need direction

I learned a small lesson today from the smallest member of our family, Emma. Mother's are going to think this is dumb and should be innate for a parent. What can I say? With some things, I am a slow learner.

Brandy has been substitute teaching this week, so I have taken Emma to school the past two days. Yesterday she told me she didn't want to wear a jacket. I thought that would be fine. She went to school without one.

She tried to pull the same thing today, but it was colder and I insisted she wear one. When we got into the truck she sat in the middle and snuggled up to me because she was so cold. I watched her walk through the door at school wearing her little jacket when it dawned on me that I should have made her wear one yesterday, too.

Four-year-old kids don't know what is best for themselves. She could be cold all day at school and never tell us, simply because she is FOUR.

I think most mothers know that they can and do save their children a lot of suffering. And, I have observed in some situations, mothers who never stop giving direction. They do it either because it is so ingrained in their soul or maybe their adult offspring still need it.

Either way, I'm thankful for a mother that still tells me to wear a jacket on a cold day. I bet she would probably stop if I was better at following directions.