Watching

This is one of my favorite pictures .  I like it so much that I have even turned it into a magnet for my refrigerator.  LOL   I don't like it just because it's a picture of Jake  -because it could be any one of my kids from this angle...yes, even Alex.  (She had that same hair as a 1 year old.)   I love the whole idea of the picture, the hidden meaning.
What you don't see in this picture is Tilden.  He was off to the left ready to pounce and tackle Jake if he tried to make a break for the water.   We were watching this little guy as he felt independent and made a break for the open trail.   We let him do it.  We let him run as fast as he could, but we ran along side him and followed him closely.
When I was driving home from taking Jake to school today I was thinking about this picture.   I always see the high school kids walking to school on my route home and so many of them are "alone".    I saw a boy today with really long unkept hair, no jacket, drinking a can of coke and smoking a cigarette on his walk to school.   He was probably just a Freshman by the looks of him.   Where are his "watchers"?   Who is running along side of this boy , making sure he doesn't jump in the pond or stop to eat a bug?   Who is "loving" him and guiding his life?   Where is his "watcher" telling him to brush his hair and that he needs to wear a coat today? So many kids are left to their own devices around here.  So many are raising themselves.  
Micah went to bed last night with sore teeth from having his braces tightened and pain in his foot from wearing his cast.   It's part of my job to make sure he gets his "boo-boo's" fixed and his teeth straightened.  Neither of those things are very fun...neither of them are free.   They take sacrifices on both our parts.  I am his "watcher" though.  I am making sure he grows up strong and safe.   Letting your kid become independent does not mean leaving them alone.
From my house I can still see Caleb and Alex.   Although they are much further up the trail and can now "swim"...I am watching to see if they need help.  Did they fall?  Did they stumble?  Do they need a band aide?  Are they lost?   I'm still watching.
Micah is still within arms reach, but Jake is right next to me.   It's my job and I love my job.   It makes me sad though, for all these kids who have no one watching them.   No one checking their homework or making sure they ate lunch.   When they fall down...no one is rushing to pick them back up.   Our society is doomed unless we start "watching" our kids.   They are NOT little adults.  They shouldn't be smoking at the age of 14 or looking at pornography at the age of 10.  Why aren't we watching them?  
Now I am on my way to Jake's class.  We are making pumpkin pie today and there are so many kids in his class who have never done this before.  Jake was cracking the eggs for me at 2 years old.  He's like a pro now.   I just know that while I am in his class I will be thinking of this picture.    I will have to watch them all while I am there...look at all their journals and tell them how cute they are today.   Some of them have been on that path all alone for years already.   It's so sad.   There is an entire generation of kids who are raising themselves and they aren't doing a good job!