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Kamloops News

MANN: Showdown with a goose

Image Credit: SUBMITTED
July 06, 2017 - 12:05 PM

OPINION


I knew life would change when I had children…I just didn’t know how much.

I can hear my parent’s voices in my head.

“You don’t understand love until you have a child of your own…”

“Your life will change forever.”

“You won’t be concerned about yourself anymore.”

All true by the way.

But not always the easiest road to travel on — parenting that is.

I’ve always thought I had somewhat of a motherly instinct though (or maybe I am just giving myself too much credit). My parents used to tell me the tale of following my brother and sister around if we were out shopping, making sure they were in sight at all times.

I thought that was love — and it was/is.

But now I have experienced ‘parent love.’ This maternal drive to save my daughter from all of the outside threats, including Canadian geese, but I will get to that in a minute.

It’s rare for me to pee without an audience these days.

I guess I don’t mind.

In return I get random dance parties, renditions of Baa Baa Black Sheep and on very special occasions, I get full arms around the neck hugs. This is when I wish the world would pause for just a minute — maybe two if I can be selfish.

My days consisting of balancing my children’s well-being and that nagging in the pit of my stomach. Much like many other moms out there (and dads too), I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders at times, questioning every decision I make and how it will effect my children’s lives.

Will they grow up to be strong, independent people without me guiding them every step of the way, or am I failing in my duties as a mom?

It’s not a unique situation to be in, but I am experiencing it for the first time and therefore it is unique to me.

I was at Riverside Park the other day, watching my husband and my daughter explore the beach, tossing rocks and avoiding as much goose poop as possible. She is a curious little one, but I think she has inherited my somewhat overly cautious nature. Whether or not that is a good thing is yet to be decided.

She’s average height for her age, but a Canadian Goose with its long neck and curious eyes can be quite intimidating to a toddler. The geese down at the park appear to be quite friendly, but as friendly and fascinating as these geese may seem, they still pose a threat to my little bundle of smiles and curiosity.

So when a goose came within a few feet of my daughter, suddenly I felt the need to show that goose I wasn’t having any of it.

I was ready to face off.

But of course it never came to that.

My daughter, deciding that she had come close enough gave the ‘all done.’ That is her way of telling me she doesn’t like something — that includes when I start singing along to Twinkle Twinkle. Apparently she can sing it all she likes, but I’m not allowed to.

It’s OK though, she can have the stage.

I have learned so much these past two years and I am so grateful for the lessons my daughter has gifted me with.

So I guess this is where I reminisce about taking each day one step at a time, learning as I go and hoping that I am doing the best that I can to create some kind of equivalence in her life so she can continue to thrive and someday take on any ‘geese’ herself.

— Becky Mann is a 30-something, red haired, mother of two, trying to navigate this life as best she can. She enjoys talking to people and discovering their stories. Still trying to balance her personal and professional life, she juggles work and play. In her spare time Becky can be found visiting with friends, spending time with her family and saving time by reading while walking, She knows there is so much more to come and is looking forward to the continued adventure.


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