They prove us wrong. A lot.

 

Something slightly different here - an extract from Adam Buxton's podcast chat with Natalie Palamides considering how we worry about our children which I thought was just lovely and it rang very true.

The whole podcast episode is here and if you want to watch Natalie's odd comedy special, it's here.  And when I say it's odd, I mean it - she's topless for a lot of it with a lot of chest hair glued on.  And a particularly fine moustache.  So it's possible you might not want to go there - and most of the thoughts below come from Adam anyway.

Have you watched your kids make mistakes and held your tongue, thinking they have to learn this for themselves?

Yeah, a certain amount

And did they prove you wrong?

Sure.  

Often it's a case of your worst fears not coming true.  
They're "It's fine - stop worrying".  
And they're right.

It starts when they're young - "Wear a jumper or you're going to get cold".  
"IT'S FINE!"
"No - it's cold outside, so if you got outside, you're going to get cold.  That's just physics!"

But they go out, and they don't get cold.  
So, it is fine - it's a reminder that not everyone experiences the world in the same way you do.
And not every bad thing that you're worrying about happens.

But it's just an instinct of protection - and remembering, and regret at, the mistakes you've made.
And how many you continue to make.
And you just want to protect them.

But they prove us wrong.  A lot.