Sitting on the patio in the early hours of the morning is one of life's pleasures. The sun's rays are warming the canal at the yard's end and all kinds of birds -- egrets, ibises, gallinules, ducks, bitterns, mockingbirds -- offer cheerful songs and chatter.

For several months I have been watching with interest a small, gray squirrel dubbed Stubby because of a very short tail.

Turns out Stubby is a mama and cares for a brood of four. Her devotion and maternal instincts are incredible. I mean, we are talking about a rodent, a creature who is famous for burying nuts. A critter who is capable of begging for food and who constantly gnaws in order to keep her teeth from overgrowing.

Yet, I observed Stubby as she carefully transported her babies in her mouth one at a time, from one tall Washingtonian palm to the next. It took her close to an hour to move all four.

After a few days and nights in the ``new'' palm home, she repeated the process on down the tree line until all were in their new home. The babies, with full tails, are nearly as big as she is.

Stubby gradually introduced her brood to new environments. Education is the key to survival and Stubby chattered to her offspring in a high-pitched voice giving the babies instructions. Amazing.

This animal takes parenthood as her number one priority and exhibits a keen interest in the personal development of each individual baby. She is teaching them about life.

It appears she is raising her babies so she can ``let go.''

Stubby appears to be a positive thinker. I watched her moving about the neighborhood scouting for individual good tree homes for each little one. Using the electric lines as her highway, she moved from tree bough to tree bough.

She never appeared frustrated in her search as she looked for sturdy trees with food sources -- a large oak, a huge avocado, palms laden with red and orange fruit.

Just as we are responsible for molding the many facets of our children's lives, this little squirrel continues serving as a wonderful role model. Children generally acquire the characteristics of the parent.

Stubby is making sure her babies develop into capable beings so that they cannot only survive but pass down these skills to the next generation.

She teaches some serious lessons on life. She gives them solid values and demands responsibility.

Stubby is not a helicopter parent but she is vigilant.

When a frisky baby came down the palm and couldn't figure out how to get back up, Stubby stayed overhead and watched.

The baby got tired and took a nap. Mama squirrel looked on but didn't interfere.

As the sun was setting, Stubby went down the trunk of the tall, elegant palm, squeaked words of wisdom to the baby and then returned up the trunk.

She repeated this up and down behavior several times.

It surely would have been easier for Stubby to pick up the little critter in her mouth and return it to the high palm leaves -- but she didn't.

She was teaching what her baby needed to learn.

She did not pamper the critter but allowed it to observe and solve the problem of how to return to the tree top.

Stubby works nonstop. It appears she only takes time for herself when her babies nap.

But, then, she is the boss -- the one in control.

She allows her children to explore within the boundaries she sets.

We, as responsible parents, need to set rules and boundaries.

Baby squirrels play and scurry along the fence, on the ground and in the trees using their imagination and cooperation skills.

Stubby does not consider herself a friend to her children. They have their own peer group.

As parents, we should not be afraid to be in control. Children should not rule their parents.

Through Stubby's example and guidance, her offspring are able to survive in their individual trees.

They periodically return to frolic as siblings in the yard. Although Stubby is taking some well earned time off and collecting nuts for winter, she still comes in contact with her children -- and they respect her.

Robin Sarantos, Ph.D., of Palmetto Bay is retired from the Miami-Dade Public Schools. She had been a counselor at Coral Reef High. E-mail her your questions or suggestions for future columns to rsarantos@aol.com.

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