Work it out

As the mom of an only child, a daughter, I have a tendency to be over protective. I don't want her feelings hurt ... I just want her trip through childhood to be loving and carefree.

But it doesn't work that way.

My child goes to school and playdates where I don't have any control over that. But I thought I had control when I was present.

But during one afternoon when my daughter and her friend were verbally duking it out, as girls do, I received some good advice from other other girl's grandmother. I was about to go intervene, when she said, "They have to work it out."

Ouch.

But they did. But we've also had times when they couldn't, in which case one or the other just goes home. They forget about it in a couple of hours and are begging to see one another in a day or two.

The lesson has been well learned. Whenever my daughter comes to me to complain about a friend who is over, I just say, "work it out."

That she had been listening somewhat surprised me ... because the many pleadings to pick up her room have gone unheeded.

But last weekend, during the long weekend, my daughter had two friends over. Two friends of hers, not one another. I knew she had been listening when I heard, "My mom says we have to work it out." They didn't come to me. They just worked it out.

For that, I am proud of my daughter and thankful for the advice. Because she is now armed with the skill to try to work things through and not just a protective mom.