From first pets and bike rides to sleepovers and school projects, childhood is filled with wonder, laughter, and difficult lessons. And while many of these lessons are taught inside classrooms and homes, some of the biggest can be learned in our own front yard.
Living in the suburbs of Southern California, my family shares a modest front yard with our senior neighbors, Rob and Nelly. As parents of two grown children, Rob and Nelly are quick to offer popsicles and friendly exchanges with our kids. They’re good, fair, and gentle people who regularly compliment us on our kids and the job we’re doing raising them. If ever a neighbor jackpot was to be won, we scored big with Rob and Nelly, patron saints of adjacent awesomeness.
When BooBoo recently broke Rob and Nelly’s walkway light and schnauzer lawn statue on two separate occasions within a week of each other, we all gathered to talk about it. Sincere apologies and replacement costs were offered, discussions about respect for others’ property were had, and Rob assured us that kids would be kids. Still, my husband and I didn’t want our kids to be those kids. [read more…]
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