Nearly every day this fall, there has been a football game in the yard. The teams change regularly…Michigan vs. Northwestern, Air Force vs. OSU…but the players remain the same: Derek vs. Peter. One day, Jeremy felt confident that he could hold his own with the big boys.

So he asked Daddy to get him suited up. And Daddy happily obliged.

The lesson Jeremy learned is that the helmet and pads may protect your body, but they do nothing to cushion the blows to the ego.