Parents should remember to handle kids with care

A delivery man wheeled in his cart stacked high with boxes, each labeled "Glassware -- Handle With Care." Next on the elevator was a woman pulling along a small child.

The delivery man cautiously lowered his load, then carefully rearranged the boxes. He checked each box for dents or holes as he did so. Then he gently rested his arm on the top of the stack, steadying it against any unexpected movement.

The woman, seemingly irritated, pushed her child into the corner. She roughly began to take off his hat and coat, scolding him under her breath. The child stared at the floor. Tears filled his eyes.

Perhaps he should have been labeled "Handle With Care," too. I don't know what preceded this little family drama. Kids certainly do have their days. This one might have been fussing and fighting from the minute he woke up to when I first saw them.

Maybe this woman had been incredibly patient all day with her son. She'd just finally had more than she could take.

Whatever the reasons though, he probably envied the treatment those boxes were getting.

I can't think of a tougher or more important job than being a parent. Our every word and deed has some impact on who our children are and who they are becoming. Not only are we raising our children, but we are raising the future adult members of society.

How our adult children relate as friends, colleagues, roommates, spouses and parents themselves stems primarily from how we relate to them when they are under our care. Come to think about it, we are also training the people who are going to take care of us in 30 or 40 years.

Fortunately, children are both resilient and forgiving. There is some margin for error in parenting. We do need to remember, though, that children of any age are still fragile. No matter how obstinate, stubborn, rebellious, angry, tough or nonchalant they may seem, behind this veneer they are easily bruised and broken.

They may not let us know this, especially adolescents who are good at covering up their pain.

When my children drive me to my breaking point, I've gotten into the habit of remembering the phrase "Handle With Care." It helps me focus on what is really important to me. Then I count to 10, or call my wife for help, or sometimes just laugh at how worked up I can get over some pretty unimportant stuff.

I guess when it comes right down to it, my kids certainly deserve at least as much tender loving care as a box of glassware. So do yours.