A Milestone

A Milestone

This weekend Elizabeth reached a new milestone in the journey that is known as "growing-up." She has a girl friend that lives about 1.5 blocks from our house. I let her walk to this friend's house all by herself.

It's a good thing that kids don't hit too many of these milestones at the same time. I don't think my heart can take it.

The distance that I let her walk, really isn't that far. For those of you that haven't been to our house, we live on a dead end at the very, very back of our community. The only people who come back here have business back here. Elizabeth did have to cross one street, but there is almost no traffic on it, because of where we live. I was worried about letting her do this, but I don’t want to smother her either. When my brother was her age, our mom let him play outside alone all the time. The little girl that she went to visit shows up at our house unescorted at all hours. And while, I don't feel compelled to let her do things "because so&so's mom let's her do it" it did make feel better to know that in the seven months so&so has been coming to hour house, hasn't been hurt, killed, or maimed. (Besides, Elizabeth didn’t give me the line "her mom lets her do it" 'cause if she had that would have been the kiss of death right there - on principle.

So, after weighing the pros and cons of letting her go alone I said yes. Elizabeth was so excited; you'd have thought I just told her she was going to meet Barbie in person. She was so excited about this; she even agreed to wear a coat without argument.
At the door we reviewed the rules: don't talk to strangers, don't get in anyone's car, don't take candy from people you don't know, and look both ways before you cross the street. You never know how treacherous1.5 blocks can be.

As I closed the door behind her, my heart started to pound, my head started to swoon, and I knew that hyperventilation was just moments away. So I did what any sane mother would do. I threw on a coat and stealthy followed her. The adrenaline rush allowed me to dart behind parked cars and disappear behind trees better than any spy. She never knew I was there.

When Elizabeth and I talked later she was so excited and overjoyed that she was successful at walking alone to her friend's house I thought she was going burst with pride. So, if she does happen to share this story with you, please don't let her know I was tailing her.

Oh, and you'll be happy to know that she did, in fact, look both ways before crossing street.