5/11/2022  FortMyersKids.com
An enormous slide and a determined toddler. Not the sort of combination every parent is hoping for on their first trip to the park. You watch your child teeter up the ladder, push through the chaos of older kids, and plop down at the top of the slide. You wait with a nervous smile and open arms at the bottom, hoping nothing will go wrong. And a moment later, you’re cradling your child once again.

But what about when your child grows into a teenager and making mistakes becomes more serious? What do you do when the slide turns into a math test? It’s tough to know at what point you step away and let your teenager make decisions that may have painful consequences. But a little bit of pain can be a good teacher.