I was taken back when the docent pointed to my 4-year-old and asked him if he wanted to try on a yoke made for kids about his size. A few generations ago, boys like Benjamin went into the woods and helped carry water or sap for their mothers. Now, I fret that he’ll trip while running on the trail at the nature center and skin his knees, and I supervise him even in our yard, which is the size of a teacup.

Quite a difference.

His chores include helping with laundry, wiping off the dining room table each night and returning the chairs to their rightful positions. Sometimes I don’t even make him do that.

So, what am I teaching him? And how am I limiting him?

I’m slowly reading Grace-Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel and early on he makes a point about how often Jesus reminds us not to be afraid.

“Fear-based parenting is the surest way to create intimidated kids,” Kimmel writes.

I suspect he’s right, and I suspect I should do something about that.