But like all good things in life, the peaceful car ride soon comes to an end, as the sleeping babies in the backseat are soon replaced with noisy toddlers. Not only do these new beings NOT fall asleep as soon as the engine starts, they become critical backseat drivers. The moment my oldest son reached this age was a big turning point in my life. I will always remember the first time he yelled out from the backseat, "Mommy, that light was RED!" as I went through an intersection. In truth it was yellow, but such subtleties are lost on young children. But anyway, the point is, I just got myself my first back seat driver.
Eventually the directions coming from the backseat became even more specific. It was suggested that I pass that slow car, that I honk at the car in front of me who won't move at the green light, that I take a route with less traffic next time, and of course that light was red (it was yellow!) And as time went on there were more kids joining the backseat drivers club. I now have a car full of backseat drivers wherever I go.
But in truth I treasure this time. Because I know that nothing lasts forever, and just like the sleeping baby phase has passed, the backseat driver phase will pass as well. And that is a scary thought, because I know what's coming next. In the next phase, the backseat driver will be me, asking them to please slow down, watch out for that car, hey that light was red, and weren't you just born?
rivki, i love that i hear your voice when i read your blogs!
ReplyDeletethanks, tanya. i like to be true to my own voice :)
ReplyDeleteIts funny you say that! I love being a back seat driver. It started when my grandfather would drive me to school. He was so wild other cars knew to stay away. Ever since i never stopped. I actually don't own a car so that I can tell drivers that they're too close to the car ahead of them or that they're tire is over the other lane. People think they need to drive well once in their lives. For the road test. They way I see it; I'm providing them a service.
ReplyDeleteWorking in midtown manhattan and shuttling from meeting to meeting, you can't help but be a back seat driver when you're inside a yellow cab. Some drivers can't even read street signs. Just last week while I was reviewing my work inside a taxi, I briefly looked out the window and saw cars parked east bound on 38 street. I couldn't figure out why we were going west bound, on a one way street.
ReplyDeletei'm too busy makingout in taxis!
ReplyDeletepeople, let drivers do what they need to do!
btw, you're friend's child could have stayed sleeping for good.
keeping the engine of a car running in a garage so that your child should remain a sleeping is not only selfish it is very dangerous.
KRISTY, WE DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW THAT!
ReplyDeleteThe author was saying that when her friend would return home and noticed that her child was still sleeping, she would enter the garage and keep the engine running WHILE THE GARAGE DOOR REMAINED "OPEN". in order not to interrupt her child's sleep.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly how i understood it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I'd be a backseat driver too, if I wasn't behind the wheel.
ReplyDeletekhani, since the author is lovin tree hugger.
ReplyDeleteI gotta say that leaving the engine running on a car is bad for the environment.
What you write is very true. I shared it with my sister Lisa and she loves your take on things. She was always afraid of being a bad example to her kids(her driving is really bad) that she put DVD screens behind every headrest, just to divert her kids attention.
ReplyDelete