I SHALL WALK HOME RAIN OR SHINE

Jordie had been rather insistent on walking home from school all by himself. He's very proud of his new independence (and freedom) so we try to let go as well, with quite a long list of 'DON'Ts" i.e. don't talk to strangers, don't stop at the bridge and loiter, don't climb on anything on the way back, don't look at the ground in case cyclists crash into you, etc... The weather has been really nice lately.. except whenever the boy announces he wants to walk back, it tends to rain.. and yesterday was supposed to be his 1st attempt to do so all the way, but we didn't know if he would be waiting at school when it started to rain. My agreement with him was rain or shine, you walk back, unless it pours... but I forgot to define what 'pours' means... so when the clouds gathered, daddy got kinda worried that he would get wet, so I drove out but on the way there, saw that the sun was still shining his side of the school, so I turned back, because I knew that fellow would be upset if I didn't keep my promise to let him walk home. Well, as Gold Coast weather would have it, the next thing you know... the clouds gathered again and the rain started, this time, on HIS side of the lake and I had to drive out again...

I knew I would meet him halfway. Sure enough, there was dear old Jordie along the way walking back from school, a little wet but happy. All this guesswork and fussing around!!! - just so a boy can find his own joy of independence to walk back home on his own....