Okay, so I may upset some people here, and that is not my plan; I think there is a big difference between dads and moms, which is a good thing, but at the same time, I think I have to find a balance with it.
It all started a few weeks ago when one of my sons made it home with–depending on who you are–a major injury that required intense medical care. So, in perfect mom fashion, Amy was able to step in and help get him all fixed up. Luckily for both of them, we had all the medical supplies we needed and a couch for him to lay on while he was on the mend. We got him a tablet, a TV remote, and some prayers to get him through it.
I want to digress here for a minute and say I thank God that my wife is able to take care of our children and give them the compassion they need, as I am just not that guy. You see, I am more of the “walk-it-off” type of person who believes a little dirt won’t hurt anyone. There are two very different styles in our house, and, at this point, I think all of our kids have learned where to go when they get hurt.
I have not decided if this is a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, I feel I am helping them get ready for the real world later in life, while my wife is helping them when they need it most at that time. We aren’t sure which is right, but I do think we may overreact sometimes.
I also find it funny that when, in a room of parents and non-parents, you have the little ones running around on the floor, it is always the non-parents and/or new parents that lunge forward when one of the little kids gets hurt. Then, you have the veteran parents saying, “don’t worry, he will be fine” without even flinching.
All in all, I think there is a real balance we need for our kids that will allow them to get help when they need it and to let them feel some pain when they need to learn a lesson. After all, it only took us one time to learn not to touch the hot stove. I don’t think anyone ever went back a second time to see if it was really still hot.
Oh, I forgot to tell you about what happened to my son. He got the “WORST” brush burn you have ever seen, and I just could not have any involvement in making this a big deal. For those of you who feel bad and are worried about him, don’t worry. Mom got him taken care of, and he was back on the soccer field without missing a beat.
