Jason Coleman

I don’t know this first hand, I’ve only heard it: never grab a running line. I think it originates from sailing, or maybe construction.
I had this idea of parenting children as grabbing a running line. That kid’s growing up and developing and is going to test you and trick you and lie and manipulate. If you step in and choose reason over emotional attachment then your emotions are hurt in the short term. If you let her go unchecked then she’s going to become a person who does hurtful things, so you’re hurt in the long run. Either way there’s going to be pain to endure. She’s on the move and you can grab her to try and stop her from getting too far away, but you know it’s going to hurt.