Letting Children Go

  My thought for awhile has been about letting children go.  I think we look at our children and want them to remain young for as long as possible.  But are we stunting them?  Are we sending them a message that they can't do it?
   When we get in the car, I make my six year old buckle himself in, then I help to make sure the belt is locked.   My husband buckles him in, because in his mind, he wants him to be a little boy as long as possible, so shouldn't have to do it.
  He can make himself a simple breakfast.  That's fine with me.  It's not that I don't enjoy making them their meals, but they have to learn to do it themselves at some point.  This doesn't mean I stop making breakfast.
  How old are our kids when we let them go at the playground.  You know what I'm talking about.  We moms and dads hover anxiously, afraid to let the kids play, for fear of getting hurt.  At some point, they will fall and get hurt.  It's part of life. They have to learn through experience what they can do or not do.  We have to learn to let them do for themselves.
  This doesn't take childhood away though.  At least not in my eyes.