Trust

Trust does not come easy for me. It never has. I don't mistrust people, exactly. I just don't trust them 100 percent to start. Folks have to earn my trust. And even then, it's doled out in small amounts.

I am practicing this right now. I am trusting my children to go on the boardwalk unattended. I am trusting they will not lose their money, go off the boards, talk to strangers (except to say hello or order something), and they will come back in the two hour time frame I gave them. This is hard.

My mom trusted me when I was their age - and I was alone. But things were different then. I didn't get into as much trouble and I had good common sense. Truth be told, I think they have good common sense (most of the time).

Here's my bet:

1. they will taste every sample of junk food they can find.

2. they will waste money in the arcade but have fun doing it.

3. they will come home with another hermit crab.

4. they will eat/drink things I would never let them have. Then they confess this to me later.

5. they will have fun.

M dolled herself up before going out, which surprised me. "I don't want to look like an 8 1/2 year old with a purse. I want to look like an 11 year old. I'm short. I don't want people to mistake me for a little kid." Uh huh.

This is a test for me. And for them. I hope we both pass.

UPDATE: I was right and wrong. They came back a few minutes early. They did not eat junk food or buy soda. They did not go to the arcade. They did buy a hermit crab. They did have fun. We all passed the test.