Striking a balance

The other day I had a conversation with my friend, Kerry, about instilling fear and worry into our children. We were lamenting our over-protectiveness, yet we were truly concerned for our children's safety. Case in point . . . the whole running across the street thing. Admittedly I have gotten graphic and have told Jayce multiple times that he could be hit by a car if he doesn't stop, look, and wait for me. I never bring up the fatal possibilities, but I have mentioned the hospital (a place he hates due to his multiple surgeries). After these little threatenings, a nagging voice seems to echo in my mind -- did I go overboard? I guess in a time of panic and desperation I'll say anything to get my point across.

Another example was at the grocery store yesterday. Jayce started eating some grapes while sitting in the cart. Being the germaphobe I am (and noticing that recent food contamination warnings usually involve fruits and vegetables), I told him that the grapes had poison on them and we needed to wash them off (pesticides just didn't seem like the right word for a three year-old). He wanted to know more, so I explained that farmers use poison to kill off bugs to protect the fruit, and we consumers must wash it off so we don't get sick. His eyes got wide and he immediately stopped. Feeling satisfied with my success, I then realized that I probably went too far. I don't want Jayce having nightmares of sippies laced with unwashed fruit debris . . . he's only three! And does he really need graphic images of injuries, leading to hospitalization, as he sees cars pass on the street? And I don't even want to start on the whole straying-away-from-me-at-the-store paranoia that I've probably instilled. I want him to be safe, secure, and happy, and I'm trying to figure out how to accomplish that all at once.

Oh, and one other worry. My husband and I vowed that we wouldn't pressure Jayce to go to BYU (in the future, when he's older), but I think we're indirectly doing it already. We watch the games and cheer the team, we have BYU shirts and other paraphenalia, we talk about the school, we visit it often when we're in Provo, etc. Jayce is all about the Cougars (see shirt), and as much as we love that, we worry that we're sowing the seeds of BYU eventuality. And I don't think I can change that . . . my enthusiasm comes bursting through and I can't contain it (especially with football season around the corner -- go team!). My children are doomed! :)