Rein

Our family is grateful to have farm stay vacation in the Gold Coast Hinterland this week. There's no shortage of entertaining activities for my daughter. Plenty of domestic and wildlife. And of course horse riding is always the winner.

That reminds me of The Naughtiest Girl books, in which Whyteleafe School allows students to keep pets, and even horses. After a second-term student Robert has promised not to be a bully, he is allowed to choose two horses under his special care, feeding them, grooming them, and helping younger children to ride them.

We aren't as skillful as Robert, of course. As a novice, I simply enjoyed the leisure ride around the picturesque field, ambling at a relaxed pace. I didn't even mind to have my grass-snatcher horse munching here and grabbing a bite there. I know I should have pulled the rein and stopped my horse from eating on the trail, but I didn't.

Isn't it the way to bring up our children? Pulling the rein too tight, and we lose rather than gain control. Think about Whyteleafe School, where the children make their own rules, hold their weekly meetings to hear grumbles and complaints, discuss and solve problems themselves. I can think of no better example of self-discipline.