Scared ... by mom

I'm trying to decide if I was a good mom or a bad mom yesterday. Dan and Faith went bike riding in a big park near us on Saturday and he happened to mention that she walked along a trail for awhile where he couldn't see her. I oh so casually managed to say, "Oh really?" To which he replied, "Yeah, I was kind of thinking that wasn't such a good idea."

I had to restrain myself from answering him, "YOU THINK!!!!!"

We then calmly talked and decided that we needed to reinforce the "within eyesight" rule with Faith for public spaces...something she has never really liked to follow. This is the child who delighted in escaping from me at stores and hiding within the circular clothing racks while I went, "Faith! Faith! I know you're hiding - where are you?" in an increasingly panicked tone. And then she would pop out and yell "SURPRISE!" and we would promptly leave the store for a talk in the car.

So... on the way to church on Sunday, I seemed to have found the perfect opportunity to revist this policy. And managed to scare the be-jeebees out of my daughter. All I did say that her dad and I needed to be able to see her, so we could help her if something bad happened. You know, like falling down and getting hurt, having a bully come up to you, be grabbed by a child molestor, or otherwise needing us in some way.

She was really quiet on the rest of the way to church and then was showing VERY poor church behavior - of which I know she knows better. I thought might be because I was sitting with the two of them instead of singing in the choir (summer break) but no she was mad at me for scaring her and this was how she choose to tell me! Words convey so much more clearly what's going on - how was I supposed to put together that sassy mouth and refusing to things she's asked meant that she was scared and wanted a hug?

So ... good mom or bad mom? I can't decide.