Scooter Scare

I have found that as a mom, there are about a million things going on in your head as you load up kids in the car. We go through a mental checklist of all the things we are supposed to remember to bring with us, while trying to lift kids into carseats, strap seatbelts around our precious cargo, remember to open the garage door, and so on.

As the kids and I were headed to the gym for mommy's workout the other day--I thought I had remembered everything- I had my cell phone, both kids belted in, shoes on everyone, the ipod all charged and ready to go, the earbuds--and the garage door open. I started to back out, and thought I heard something crunch over the sound of my 2 kids chattering. I backed up just a little more, only to hear that crunch again. Not knowing what it could be, I got out of the car only to see that my daughter's scooter had been parked directly behind the car on the other side of the garage--*my new car will have a backup camera ;).

I moved the scooter, which now had a broken plastic wheel. I held my ground as my daughter dramatically pointed out that now she didn't have a scooter and as she hopefully suggested that I could probably just fix it. (you know us, super-mom's can fix anything--and if we can't -dad can)

I already knew by looking at it for that few seconds, that it was not going to be fixed. I gave her the mommy-talk, about how she was told not to park her toys in the driveway--and that I would not be buying her another one, because she knew better. (Of course, she will be getting another one, probably at Christmas--but, for the eternity of 5 months she will hopefully learn her lesson, and not come to the conclusion that her mom is a sucker.)

Being the worrier I am, I started thinking about backing over something a million times more valuable--a child. Sure, my kids are nearly always with me, so it would likely not be me, that backs over them--but, someone not used to having kids around. I began teaching my kids to stay in the grass when ANYONE is getting in a car in a driveway, or pulling up. I have been repeating worse than a parrot, to STAY in the GRASS-- when a vehicle is moving, and I will continue to do so, and I want to urge you to remind your small children of this safety precaution. Because, all too often, adults have a million things going thru their mind, and are not paying attention to the tiny things behind their vehicle--or they simply cannot see them, until it is too late.

So, to the kids out there--STAY in the GRASS, and keep your toys parked there too, if I am driving!!

And, to the adults--Please use extra precaution when in neighborhoods with children--you never know when one will run to get their ball that rolled right behind your Expedition.