Automobile accidents. Household chemicals (too many household cleaners look too much like apple juice). Sticking things in electrical outlets. Listening to d

Automobile accidents. Household chemicals (too many household cleaners look too much like apple juice). Sticking things in electrical outlets. Listening to dares from other children. Childhood is safer than it was, but it's not safe. And it's really hard to teach kids about every danger before they run into them. I once screamed "stop" at my two-year-old daughter, when it was life or death. She stopped, without knowing why. Sometimes obedience really matters. On the other hand... my kids were playing outside with a hose on a hot day. They came inside for something - and brought the running hose inside with them. That kind of thing can drive you crazy - but it wasn't obedience, because it never crossed my mind to tell them not to do that, because why would anybody do that? So you have to not call something "obedience" when it's just childishness. Worry about obedience on the things that matter.