IF Warning

A Warning Look

Remember when you knew you were just a hair's width away from disaster by the look in your mother/father's eyes? That's what I thought of when I got the Illo Friday word for this week.

Of course, the ability to use this look to it's fullest effect is developed as soon the parental mantle is assumed. For generations, women have said that they'd never do to their kids what their mothers did to them. I'm pretty sure that holds true for men as well.

Yet, there is a strange power in the universe that takes over your body when your child is being, shall we say, difficult. Your arms move your hands onto your hips, your shoulders come up around your ears, your brow furrows, your chin drops down, and the corners of your mouth curl tightly into a frown.

Once the "confrontation" is concluded, hopefully without damage, you realize your stance is exactly how...OMG...your mother stood when you where on that same slippery slope many years prior!!!

You gradually accept that you've developed some of the same tendencies and, after a while, you might even be smart enough to brag that you have so many in common with your mother.

But, oh, that look! "Danger, danger, Will Robinson!"