You know, I got lucky. So far, my 5 year old is pretty much like my almost 15 year old was at his age. Fun, not too cautious, mouthy with no filter.

My neighbor has two completely different experiences. Her little girl, who is 5, was a cautious baby. Always looked before she leaped, and when she did leap it was from the safety of her mom's arms.

Her 18 month old son is different. He started walking at about 1, is steady on his feet now, and is getting into everything. He's climbing the baby gate, he's running from her, he's going full tilt on the sidewalk out front, and he has no fear. None.

She has no idea how to deal with it since her daughter was so cautious. I just laugh because both of my boys did the exact same things. She tells me she has no idea how to handle it and then asks me why I'm so calm when I'm out there and he does those things.

Well, I tell her, I have two amazing kids. Two boys that are completely boys who did the exact same things that her's is doing.

And while I do that, I take three large steps toward her 18 month old, grab him by the hand and turn him around so his little legs start running away from the street instead of into it.