Busted!

I recently enjoyed a fun night game experience at an OSU football game with some family members. Experiencing our first victory of the year certainly helped! During halftime, we enjoyed some Qdoba and the view from the upper deck balcony. Pulling out a Sour Apple Charms Blow Pop from my pocket, I noticed one of the stadium workers giving me a bit more attention than I was comfortable with. Eventually, he walked over and commented on the “contraband” in my mouth, obviously not purchased from any stadium vendors. It took me a while to even understand what he was talking about!

Two questions we often subconsciously ask ourselves are “Do I feel safe?” and “Do I feel loved?” Though a silly illustration, my lollipop interaction oddly checked both of those boxes. This security personnel had clearly been trained on the expectations for the stadium environment, and he was eager to support them. He also seemed to understand the value of the fan experience, approaching me with a degree of understanding and relatability. He was friendly and non-threatening. If event personnel were going to care about my lollipop, I concluded they certainly had more important matters under control as well.

In the classroom, the most effective teacher (and often the most admired) has clear expectations for their classroom. While perceived “rules” can frequently be viewed by students with distaste, expectations and accountability build trust. Students want teachers in control of their shared environment. Students want to expect to be treated well by others. And on some level, students also want teachers to protect them from their own poor judgment, shortcomings, and detrimental behavior. 

Fulfilling these two needs for our children is a high responsibility as parents…and also a challenging one.  Establishing expectations and requiring accountability can be uncomfortable at times. I’m sure the stadium worker would have rather chatted with me about our backup quarterback instead of my sneaky lollipop. In the same way, no parent desires to be the “bad guy.” But the irony is that actively guiding our children is “great parenting”. Limiting freedoms in line with a child’s growing maturity provides not only safety but also delivers genuine love. 

Praise be to God that He has modeled this so well for us! Complete surrender to His authority can be uncomfortable at times. But where else can we go to receive eternal protection and divine love!