We recently moved to Florida and have been amazed at the multitude of lizards that scamper and climb all over the place. I had an encounter with one recently that made me realize how unpredictable parenthood is. Here’s the story…

Sunday afternoon my 6 year-old daughter noticed a package on our front porch. As I opened the door to retrieve it, a tiny little lizard that was on the exterior of the front door climbed over the top of the open door. It was now on the door INSIDE my house. All I can say is, “ICK!” and “OOOH!” to that. I definitely didn’t want the little guy to start running around my house.

I left the door cracked open, hoping it would scamper around the side or over the top – back to the OUTSIDE. I banged my fist on the door and yelled, “Go, Mr. Lizard!”

The lizard did move a bit – just to the edge of door hinge. I couldn’t shut the door without smashing it or without it rushing back inside. So I stood there looking at my little reptile friend.

By this time, I had an audience – my 9 year-old son, my 6 year-old daughter and my 3 year-old son. They all thought that having a lizard inside the house was hysterically funny. Of course, even funnier to them was Mom freaking out about the lizard.

My youngest son got up really close to the lizard, saying “Hello, Buddy!” I was so panicked that the lizard was going to jump on him. So, I banged harder on the door and yelled louder too. The lizard wouldn’t budge. He just cocked his head to the side, looking at me with his beady eyes, as if to say, “Lady, what do you want from me? I’m freaking out about this too.”

My kids continued to laugh and giggle as I tried to get our little lizard friend to take his “party” outside. I instructed my oldest son to go get a long Lego piece from his room.

I used the Lego piece to gently herd the lizard around the hinge area of the door and back outside.

My audience cheered my victory as I pulled the door shut.

As I have retold this story to friends and family, it has made me realize that parenting is a lot like “herding a lizard.”

As a parent, you know that you’re trying to guide the child to a safe and happy existence – just as I was trying to guide the lizard to return to his plants and trees where he belonged. The problem is that the child sometimes doesn’t recognize that you truly have their best interests at heart – just as the lizard was freaking out that I was going to hurt him.

As a parent, you have to be creative, consistent and unrelenting in your efforts – just as I had to be in my “battle” with the lizard.

So as we all tackle the enormous challenge of raising children – remember that it’s like herding a lizard!