Sep 29th, 2008
Eve on answering on Auto Pilot
When I’m in the car and the kids are locked into their seats I experience a certain feeling of euphoria.
It’s a time when I know they’re not getting into anything, they may be yelling at each other but they can’t hurt one another, really it’s fantastic.
Other moms may take this oppurtunity to get to know their children on a deeper level. They may use the time their children are strapped down to impart further light and knowledge, or inoculate them with spiritual wisdom.
My hats off to these mothers, that never let a teaching moment go by.
Me? I like to turn on the radio, or play a CD. And I’m not talking FM Disney or We Sing and Play. Sometimes I play my talk radio, while other times I’m in the mood to rock out. At these times I feel like if gas weren’t so gall durned expensive I might just keep right on driving, past my destination point, because somehow I feel like this is quality “me time.”
There’s just one thing that stops me from truly disappearing into my own world and running the mini-van on “auto-pilot…” It’s the constant chattering at me from the back seat. From the 4 and 7 year old.
“Mom, why are bears called bears?” “Mom, what’s 102 plus 102?” “Mom, can we go to Chuckie Cheese for my next birthday party?” “Mom, in my dream last night my teeth turned to stone.” “Mom, can I go to Laylee’s house?”
And on, and on.
My first question is “When my kids see me rocking out, don’t they understand that I’m in ‘the zone?’ When I’m singing a song at the top of my lungs do they really expect me to stop and tell them why bears are called bears?” Which by the way I really don’t have an answer for anyway. Sometimes when the good song is playing on the radio, there IS NO REWIND BUTTON, or PAUSE. My song is playing and I have to see it through. DO YOU FEEL ME PEOPLE?
and Secondly…in these moments when I do answer or acknowledge them, sometimes I can’t fully hear what they’re saying, them being in the back seat and myself in the front. So I take this tactic…I simply say “mmm hmmm” to everything. But my question to YOU people is what exactly am I saying yes too? Is it that “mmm hmmm we can go to Laylee’s” or “mmm hmmmm sure we can go to Chuckie Cheese for your next birthday and throw money down the drain while we’re at it.”
I’ll never know. I’m sure I’ve promised many a splendid thing while I’m driving. What I really want to do is say, “Kids, Loveys, for the next twenty-something minutes anything I say must not be taken seriously. So if you ask for an Elephant or anything else while we’re in the car, the answer is really NO. Because for the next twenty minutes, Mom is on AUTO-PILOT.”
Good Enough
We must find a way to indoctrinate them fully to love our tunes. Then they’ll be in the zone too and won’t have the time to tell us their dream teeth have turned to stone.
I LOVE this post! I am always battling the “duty of mom” vs. “mom’s gotta get her tunes on”… Mostly I rock out - apparently not much unlike you!
Rock on. Rock. On!
I rock out, too. Usually I can get the kid to rock out a little with me (especially if the Ramones are playing) so… I’m taking that as tacit approval of my parenting skills.
Passing on wisdom? That’s for when their mouths are full!
oh, that brings back memories - just you wait - they will come over to your side - and when they do, you’ll be thinking, is it bad that my kids are humming Zepplin and ACDC ? (That is dear hubby’s fault not mine though) Mine, is more the Kelly-type songs, and when my daughter is singing, “Never Again…I hope when your inbedwither…yathinkovme …” I think ooopsie!!!
I totally get it. My kids often want me to look at something they are doing. Sometimes I just say”sorry I’m driving, do you want me to crash? i really have to concentrate on this turn.” They usually get it and stop talking. My brain can’t take all the questions either.