Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Mini Backseat Driver

So, Brynna has become a backseat driver at the tender age of three. I'm not sure what prompted this, except that I am surrounded by it. My husband works the passenger side brake like it's going out of style and has been known to cringe in fear of death. Let me make clear that I am not a bad driver. He has bad brakes. He assumes, therefore, that everyone has bad brakes. When he drives my car, he stops us on a dime about a quarter of a mile before every stoplight.

My mom is the original nervous passenger. She usually keeps it under control when I'm driving (mostly, I think because I drive just like her). However, my brother is sixteen and therefore, required by law to drive everywhere and she just can't help herself.

In short, car trips that don't involve someone telling someone else how to drive are few and far between in my world. Of course, it's still a shock when your three-year-old screams "Slow Down!!" or "Watch Out!!" from the backseat.

Today, she told me that I needed to stop in the middle of the road. Obviously, a nondriver directing here. So, I calmly explained that I just couldn't do that. The screaming continued. She invoked God - "God wants you to stop in the middle of the road," and Pandy (our magic sleep buddy)- "Pandy really needs to stop." Finally, about three minutes from home, she finally got to the crux of the matter. "Mommy, if you don't stop soon, I will have an accident in my car seat."

Well, dear, if you had told me that 10 minutes ago, we could have stopped. Now, we will have to wait until we get home.

She made it by the way, but at least I feel better about this bout of backseat driving.

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