I know Karate....

I remember taking shopping trips with my mother as a kid. Like all kids do, I often wandered away sometimes to the next isle. Like all mothers do, she would warn me about the dangers of wandering to far. Now years later I am the mom and my kids are the wanderers.

On Saturday we took a family trip to the huge two-story Target. It has lots of cool stuff to look at and many isles. While trying to decide on a particular bedding, I noticed that my eldest daughter began to wander out of sight. Quickly I followed her as she went over to the next isle to look at what I am sure was a shiny object. I then began the "Mother" speech (The speech handed down through generations of mothers to aid in situations where children who suffer from Shiny Object Syndrome do goofy or sometimes dangerous things).

"Do You Know What Could Happen To You If You Wander Off? Do You Know How Easy It Would Be For A Kidnapper To Walk By And Snatch You Up? Do You Know How Dangerous That Is?"

Then my eldest daughter without even a slight hesitation replied with extreme certainty, "No It Wouldn't! A Kidnapper Couldn't Take Me, I KNOW KARATE! I Would Use It To Chop Them."

By this time her father with the other Wild Things came around the corner. It was all he could do to keep from smirking. I without response to her statement turned away to chuckle as well. Once we were composed enough, we tried our best to explain that dangers are sometimes too great to be conquered by mere Karate.

I am a hyper paranoid parent when it comes to keeping my children safe. You have to be these days with all the evil lurking about to harm your kids. I try my best to keep watch over my Wild Things, but even moms sometimes can't be everywhere all the time. It makes me feel good to know that she is at least prepared to do something should she ever find herself in trouble. She is little but she is mighty! Plus, little big sister has a heck of right hook and seriously strong kicking leg...and she knows Karate!