I loved you enough to
ask where you are going, with whom, and what
time you would be
home.
I loved you enough to
insist that you save your money and buy a bike
for yourself even though I could afford to buy
one for you.
I loved you enough to
be silent and let you discover that your new
best friend was a jerk. I loved you enough to
make you pay for the toy you had taken and tell
the clerk' " I stole this yesterday, and I want
to pay for it."
I loved you enough to
stand over you for two hours while you cleaned
your room, a job that should have taken 15
minutes.
I loved you enough to
let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in
my eyes. Children should know that their parents
aren't perfect.
I loved you enough to
let you assume the responsibility for your
actions even when the penalties were so harsh,
they almost broke my
heart.
But most of all, I
loved you enough to say NO when I knew you would
hate me for it. … Those were the most difficult
battles of all. I am glad I won them, because in
the end, you won too . And someday when your
children are old enough to understand the logic
that motivates parents, you will tell
them. | 
