Rocks,
Leaves,
Mud,
Standing water after a hard rain.
Those are just some of the things that get caught up in the window wells outside my home.
This weekend, I finally decided it was time to put some covers on them.
I needed to do my best to protect them and keep the gunk out.
They were fairly inexpensive and I think they look pretty nice.
It was such a simple thing to do, yet it took me nearly 18 months living here to get around to it.
It made me reflect on other things in life that I could do a better job taking steps to protect.
Just like window wells, our minds and our hearts can get full of gunk that doesn't serve us.
Negative thoughts, bad feelings, and people's opinions and comments that cause hurt and pain are the proverbial rocks, leaves and mud that can fill them up.
In today's world of social media and instant access to so much hate and negativity, it's more important now than ever to find a way to keep that stuff out.
In life though, it's not nearly as simple as going to Fleet Farm and buying window well covers like I did.
It takes conscious effort and intention, and that's hard enough for us as adults.
Helping our kids navigate this world and protect them, while still allowing them to have a positive social life, is an entirely different ballgame.
As a parent of teens, I am far from perfect when it comes to this.
The amount of second-guessing over my decisions on how much technology they can have, how much freedom I should give them, and how much I should look over their shoulder can be maddening some days.
I never, ever feel like I'm getting it quite right.
But it's my job to protect them.
And to teach them and role model good habits myself.
As their mom, I am the window well cover that helps keep the bad stuff out.
Sometimes that looks like tough conversations with them around the pros and cons of social media.
Sometimes that looks like restrictions on their devices or even removing access to them altogether.
And sometimes that looks like very angry teenagers and a hurt that I feel but try not to show.
I know someday they'll thank me for it.
I'm learning every day along with them as we navigate all of the challenges this year.
I just hope my window well covers are strong enough to withstand the storms.
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