Crocodilians

Sometimes, we are blessed with an epigrammatic expression that splendidly encapsulates a sentiment. Today's adage applies to parenting of Offspring the third.

Offspring the third is a bright, tender-hearted and extremely sensitive child who is prone to frustration, anger and anxiety. Even when he was just a wee person, it was sometimes possible to see the weight of the world on his tiny shoulders. His school teachers have consistently referred to him as an "out-of-the-box thinker," and there have been many moments when he has required out-of-the-box solutions to his difficulties.

Whether the tincture of time, the teachings of tae kwon do, or some mysterious inner development has aided him, Offspring the third has made immense progress of late. He has learned to look for shades of gray instead of viewing the world as black or white. He is able to accept correction without disintegrating. He recognizes when he is on the verge of meltdown and can enlist assistance. Most beautifully, he has made friends.

Now that her mission of raising Offspring the third is no longer obscured by quotidian struggles, Herself can truly relish his quirks, and enjoy his unique perspective. She is relieved and newly optimistic. Though she knows that the future will likely contain occasional challenges, when they arise, she will recall:

When you're up to your eyeballs in alligators, it's hard to remember your first objective was to drain the swamp.