Freedom for children comes at a price.  It means making mistakes.   Sometimes really big ones.  It means letting go and seeing if you can trust.  It is pushing that trust so hard it breaks.  And then learning to trust again even when you feel they have pushed you too far.  It is giving second chances.  And third chances, and fourth chances.  Freedom is imperative to childhood.  Just as it is to all stages of life.

My boys have gotten into some trouble recently.  And today I am following through with a consequence I feel is natural enough. Though it turns out the punishment is sometimes more terrible for mama then the punished.  They are being watched today.  (Truth be told I got the idea from Pa Thanks Little House on the Prairie!).  No outside time, what so ever until lunch, which for these fellas that ain’t no easy task.  There are other strings attached, and I won’t bore you with the details.  I have not had to resort to such a classic type of parenting tactic.  And I know the reasons why.  My boys are just beginning to be that;  Boys.  They are hardly out of babyhood, some might argue they still are in the midst of it.  They have yet to have chances to really test their boundaries.  I will be honest, thinking of it all is terribly overwhelming and scary.  I so want give them the tools to help them make sound choices; Choices that they can be proud of.  I want to give them the confidence to stand in their truth, always, even when it feels bad inside to admit it.

And I know they are going to mess up.  And I know I am going to mess up.  And I know we will grow.  Thank goodness for that, huh?  That we have the choice, the chance, to never, ever stop growing.