Taking off the training wheels and letting go...

Last week one of my kids friends mom suggested that we let our kids ride to the train track trail on their own. "ohh, they will have to ride on a busy road, with no side walk to get to the trail " I thought. " And they will have to cross three busy roads" I felt anxious about this but the other Mom reminded me of when we were kids and rode free for hours and about how kids need a certain amount of freedom. " I know, I know, but my kids aren't very street savvy" I confessed. I finally agreed (after calling Kelly to see if he agreed too) realizing that I was worried that my 11 year old might have trouble crossing a street. If that is truly the case, then I have failed as a parent. I believe that as parents, our job is to give our kids roots and wings, so as I watched our helmeted and sunscreened boys head off on a wild adventure to the convenience store, I repeated under my breath Roots and Wings, Roots and Wings. I want my kids to grow up believing in their ability to navigate the world and to have the confidence to solve their own problems. But desiring and doing are different and agonizing things. It never seems to get easier to take off the training wheels and let go of the bike.