Be Careful!

We've all been there: You're on a walk or hike with a friend. You almost trip over a chunk of sidewalk, an exposed root, or nothing at all. You recover your balance, but barely. Your friend says "Oh! Be careful!" Sure. As if that statement will cause you to think, "Oh. Yes. I'm glad you said something. I hadn't thought to pick up my feet or watch my step in the future. I was thinking it'd be better to fall on my face the next time I falter." I find it kind of annoying, actually, when someone says that to me. It seems superfluous to request that the person be more careful in the future. I understand that it's an expression of concern, wishes for your well being. But other than that, it really isn't helpful. Right?

Fast forward to last night. We were at a park with a friend and the family. One of their children, a 2 year old boy, had already made 2 trips into the park's water feature (at least one, he tripped and dove in). They'd been through 2 changes of clothes already. He's big enough to go climb up a big rock and then jump off. To him, you must say "Be careful!" because... he really didn't think of it. Moments after asking him to not jump off of something because he'll get hurt, he's trying the same thing again, still not considering the consequences. I realize this is age-related as well as temperament. They learn to be at least somewhat cautious pretty early, however. We see Ian carefully sitting down when he wants to go somewhere. After discussing the childhood of John and of the boy's father (both squarely in the "begging for an ER visit (if not already on the way)" camp as a child), it's determined that this is probably going to need to be the hourly mantra for years to come for both of our boys.

In the hour we were there, this young lad had to be continuously warned not to:

1. jump back into the pond (although it happened, again, and he wore mom's sweater home)(but this time, feet first.)(trip number 4 (including mom's sweater) was thwarted by a trip to the car, going home), 
2. jump off of the top of the 4+ foot tall "rock wall" feature on the playground equipment, 
3. play in the road (to be fair, he hasn't had that exposure very much yet, living where we do), 
4. eat things he found in the playground, 
5. jump off of large rocks

"They're so different!" his mom says. His older sister was never this fearless.

I definitely see now why people have the instinct to say "HEY! Be CAREFUL!" They have a boy.