Parenting... it's just Getting Started

The weather around here has been gorgeous lately; sunny days, blue skies, and cool breezes - what more could you ask for?

So yesterday Glosette Girl, Margot and I headed off to Dow's lake to take full advantage. It's one of our regular walking trails/hang out spots, along with the Arboretum, where we can enjoy a bit of fresh air, without driving more than a few minutes away.

...Well, Glosette Girl and I took advantage. Margot was in a bit of a grumpy mood and didn't really want to go. At the same time, she didn't really want to stay at our house either. She didn't really know what she wanted. That's sortof a regular theme these days, which I suppose is to be expected now that she is 12 years young.

At Dow's lake Glosette Girl and I were hoping to settle by the water, read, and just soak up the atmosphere. In the end though, we ended up sitting behind a bush without any view of anything particularly interesting as I think Margot felt that was the next best thing to sitting at home.

What we were hoping to do...

I was a little perturbed by Margot's attitude and towards the end of the time at Dow's Lake decided I would walk home (about 25 minutes away). But guess who joined me? MARGOT! I think she just wanted to extend an olive branch and spend time with me. We ended up walking up Preston Street hand-in-hand while she lightened up and regaled me with stories about who-likes-who in her class. It was a surreal, but perhaps to be expected, change of mood that I thoroughly enjoyed.

As I prepare to wind this blog down (this will be my second last post) I'm starting to think that the challenges of parenting are just getting started. Long gone are the days of Daddy being a hero simply for showing up. Now comes the hard part of helping someone along who may feel lost in the world even though they don't know why. I think (I hope) I can be the kind of parent who makes things better. One thing is for certain though, it is going to take patience and empathy.