Thoughtful Obedience

When they were small children (seven or eight), I advised them not to play alone in the front yard out of a concern for "stranger danger." I just said in an easy tone, "play in the back yard, not the front because it's safer."

Kids being kids, my admonition morphed into something different than a straightforward boundary and turned into general advice about not being seen by strangers. They aptly analyzed my philosophy seeking its root and decided that they could honor my wisdom principal by not moving anytime they were in the presence of strangers (even in the front yard). Clearly, if they weren't moving, they couldn't be seen and thus, were safe.

As a result, they used the entire yard, front and back, as their playground, actually believing they could not be seen, and more importantly, actually believing they were accomplishing the goal of my admonition. How, might you ask: by remaining on a constant vigil anytime they were playing in the front yard, waiting for the one with the eagle eye to spy a strange vehicle approaching and issue the command, "STATUES!" at which point, they would freeze, arms and legs and faces in whatever flailed, contorted and awkward position they were found.