Parenthood, knocks and learning

Being a parent is a learning process and I think made harder if you are a man doing the job full time and in another city and in another country not your own. I was not nervous about having our child but I have learnt on the job. The other day, junior was standing upright in a shopping trolley (cart) while we shopped in Moscow, my wife had one trolley for shopping and I had an empty one for junior as its easier than carrying him and I was lazy too take the pushchair (stroller). We went outside and I was pushing the trolley along uneven bricks on a path outside the supermarket. The trolley suddenly hit an uneven brick and junior flew out, flipped over and landed on his bum. It was almost like an acrobat in a circus.

I picked him up and he screamed and cried for a while then fell asleep in the car. There seems to be no real damage. I think kids are fairly tough when it comes to knocks and accidents but I really should be more careful.

I worry so much about what the future holds for my child in this big bad world of ours. How do you allow a child to be a "child", yet retain his or hers innocence but still be street wise and street smart. We live in a world of child bullies, bad teachers and pedophiles how do we protect them? How do we teach them to know danger? how do we teach them to have a sense of fear or a sixth sense for bad and harm? I grew up in suburban England in the 1970's where kids rode their bikes in the roads, we went to play in the woods, we played on the swings and we came to no harm and we met no bad people. I can't say its the same for children today whatever their city, village, background or country. I think the worries really go up a gear when they go to kindergarten and then to school.

Will I be around to help him and guide him in the future? I really hope so. I don't think I am alone in these fears and I think every sensible caring parents feels the same in different degrees of worry but mine borders neurosis. Without sounding cheesy, I think anyone who has a child or children is blessed and anyone that treats their children badly in anyway is not worthy of their freedom or parenthood. I know parents can be over protective, while some are not protective enough, how do you find a good balance? Here ends my serious post dear reader.Tips appreciated.

See below it is an inspiration to us all.