Listen

It is priceless time. You are driving your son or daughter to an activity. You are captive, together in a small space. In the old days, before cell phones, you could either
A) talk
B) look out the window
C) sing
Few options. I remember driving my kids around.....great conversations took place. Sometimes it was me and the kids. Or sometimes just listening to the kids.
It is during one of these rides that i first learned my young daughter could sing, belting out a Toni Braxton song in the far back, hitting the intricate notes perfectly on key. Hearing things in the music i couldn’t begin to hear. Another time i learned about some major bullying going on and another of a certain boy my daughter had a crush on. Countless conversations, important information that I would have missed had i spent all of these drives gabbing on my cell phone. I tell my kids not to talk on the phone while driving. How can i not do the same if i expect them to?
Driving is serious business. You hear it said that in a way a car is a weapon. When we are driving, shouldn’t we be....hmmm.......driving? What makes us all think we can take our eyes off the road. All it takes is a split second and lives are forever changed. We all know the statistics, yet do it anyway. I myself am guilty - i have bluetooth, and while at least i have both hands on the wheel, there are still no guarantees.
And then there is texting....don’t even get me started. No, no and NEVER should a person text while driving.
But back to the point. Next time in the car with your kids, put your phone away. Have them put their phones away.
And just talk.