Learning not to be Chicken Mom

happens when your kids discover a really cool "bridge" over a creek and are dying to cross it.

Chicken Mom says in her head: "Oh my gosh, no. Not sturdy at all! Too far to fall. Water at the bottom. Broken bones, drowning, DEATH."

The girls urge: "That's so cool, Mom!  We can do that!  We'll be careful! Ooh Mom!"

The kid inside, way back from the eons before Chicken Mom was born (at the birth of Turtle!), nudges: "It's fun!  It's a challenge that takes courage!  The water's not above their waists. Every kid should have a chance to have woodsy adventures like this. You did, remember?"

"Fine.  But crawl across!"

Sunshine and Chicken Mom watch as Rosebud -- the fearless daredevil -- crosses the plank, then Turtle.  Chicken Mom tries to stay calm. Sunshine shivers and groans to herself: "ohhhhh, I am just scared of EVERYthing!"

No kidding, child.  Me too.

Eventually, all the girls try and succeed. No one falls, the plank doesn't even shake. Chicken Mom recedes into the background again, but of course, poised to emerge at the next presented moment. 

No one ever told her it was such a scary thing being a mom.