Lesson 30

Oh man, I don't know if you're just stretching your wings or what, but you've been making us nuts the last couple of days. You have learned to sneak. Right now, your favorite thing to do is to pick things up that you know you're not supposed to have, even though you've never been interested in them before, and sneak off with them. Combine that with you bouncing off the walls when you miss naps (and you've missed them the last few days) and you're a bundle of mischief. There's a new push about teaching your children the same lessons you would if they were of the opposite sex. I think I've done a pretty good job of that, but I thought for a long time about what I would say differently to you if you were a woman. Some of those things really are specific to sex, like how to dry your hair the fastest or how awesome it is to shave your legs and sleep in a freshly made bed. However, I did come up with a couple that I might have seen more as "girl" lessons. Which brings me to lesson 30...

As you get older, you're going to be doing things and going places on your own. Always be mindful of your surroundings. I hope that I get you enrolled into a karate class, I think it would be an excellent way for you to learn how to defend yourself. Your dad thinks I'm paranoid, but there are bad people in the world, and you need to avoid them. Whenever you can, park in a well lit area, always carry your keys with them sticking out between your knuckles. That way, you can have some extra damage if you have to hit an attacker. Always lock your doors and watch around you when you are in a parking lot. Make sure your home is secured, especially at night. Always let someone know when/where you're going on trips. I know I sound like a worrier in this lesson, and as I've said, I am. However, I don't think you can ever go wrong making sure you're able to avoid or protect yourself in dangerous situations.