Silly me! Last year, because of where I lived, I was forced to drive my kids to school every day. I quickly discovered that the hug-n-go (or kiss-n-catch) lane sounded so friendly but wasn't friendly at all. What is it with parents so angry that they scream, honk and road-rage like someone's life depended on getting to school? Soon, I found it was better for my own sanity and my kids safety to park at a neighboring park and walk in.
Even then, we also saw our fair share of angry parents yelling, cursing and edging their vehicles up too close to the Crossing Guard. Even the local police department regularly had to dispatch an officer to help assist. Have we seriously gotten to the point where a police officer is necessary to help manage crossing the street because of parents? Seriously!?! Get off your dang cell phone, take a "chill-pill" and settle the freak down.
Anyway, over the summer I was delighted to be able to move within walking distance of the school and filled my imagination with lovely hand-in-hand walks and family bike rides to and from school. What I discovered was walking paths filled with ignorant, unaware dangers on two legs, four legs and/or two wheels.
Before school started I took the kids on several bike rides teaching them basic safety concepts. How to let someone know you'll be passing on the left, how to watch out for dogs on and off leash, how to stop at stop signs and look both ways, how to cross streets safely, etc.
Let's fast forward three weeks into the school year. Today was the second day I was run off the path by a family riding not two, not three but four abreast. FOUR ABREAST! This included the mom who was pulling toddlers in a bike trailer. Politely I called out, "On your left." 10 seconds later, I'm yelling, "on your left, on your left!!!" Mom made eye contact and utterly refused to move and off the path and down the hill I went. Yesterday, my daughter sustained some serious tire burn and peddle gouges because a small child on a razor scooter couldn't seem to figure out which way was was right or left and so proceeded to go back and forth. The day before that my son was forced to crash because a family was walking four abreast and didn't yield. Although to be fair, the Dad did end up letting his kids have it over that one.
It's pretty simple folks. I get that often times your kids are learning how to ride and how to ride safely. When there is no one on the path I understand the family riding in a big group. However, when there are people coming and going, some are on foot, some walking a dog(s) (and sometimes even on a leash too tho don't EVEN get me started here), some are on scooters, some bikes you MUST ride in single file and stay on your right. The path just isn't that wide. When someone says, "On your left" be courteous and make sure you and your entourage, including your crazy dog, is complying. If you see someone riding towards you, yelling "on your left, on your left!" and you and your entourage is three or four abreast get into single file.
If you or a member of your entourage get confused and accidentally run someone off the path or make them crash, STOP AND APOLOGIZE. Take a moment to make sure the person you ran off the path is OK and not injured.
The woman who knowingly ran me off the road today responded with a very sarcastic "excuse me" when I expressed frustration at being run off the path. I'm sorry did I inconvenience you? Because you are welcome to ask my "girl-parts" how they are feeling after contact with a metal bar because of your stupidity.
For anyone who wants to learn a little more about basic bike etiquette here is a link: http://www.ibike.org/education/trail-sharing.htm. Please, please, please take the time to educate yourself and your family.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
One of "those" mornings!
So it's been one of "those" mornings! Kids coughing like they have something crossed between emphysema and tuberculosis, chronic running noses (you know, the kind that just make the bottom of your nose raw and painful), tired from last nights Back to School night (I mean, who schedules this stuff to go to 8:30pm on a Monday night - it's like Teacher payback), and they are both just as irritated as I am. Makings of a fabulous morning. Super.
Now if I'm honest, its not all that drama that's stressing me out. It's knowing that I have a client scheduled today that won't end in time for me to pick up the kids from school. I know there are Mom's out there who will roll their eyes at my fear that some terrible fate will befall the kids if they dare walk 3/4 mile home from school by themselves...but I do.
And if I'm even more honest, I'd have to admit that I'm also frustrated that as a single-mom, I'm often forced to choose between work and food on the table or being available for the kids.
To make matters worse, I finally got my middle school daughter out of the door (and anyone with a middle school student REGARDLESS of gender knows that can be a feat in itself) and to the bus stop. As we're walking another student is racing back to her house. I ask her if whatever it is is THAT important and she tells me her mom would "kill" her if she forgot her cell phone. Now I pause here to key in on one important phrase, "her mom would 'kill' her if she forgot her cell phone." Somewhere in the far reaches of my daughters brain something should have resonated. Nope. We get to the bus stop with a minute or so to spare. I start running through the checklist, "Do you have..." Last question - "Do you have your cell phone?" I see the look, she knows I'll be pissed, she's even contemplating lying to me...she forgot her cell phone. I explode, "H-O-W am I supposed to make sure you get your brother from school if you don't have your cell phone?" She cringes. She misses the bus. We get her cell phone and I use the car ride to middle school to again remind her how ticked I am COMPLETE with language not suitable for adults much less an 11 yr old. She rides in silence. I drop her off at school straining to say, "I love you" as she gets out.
Now if I'm super honest, I have to admit...most of the time I just feel like I'm making ONE BIG HOT MESS of things. As I drive around the corner, I watch her walking into school and realize I've blown it, yet again. I text her, "I'm sorry, I love you!" She doesn't respond. It's not even 8am, I'm tracking for a spectacular day. Damn.
As I drive back home I vow to settle down and salvage what I can of my son's morning before I walk him to school. I get him off to school, rush home, gather my work stuff, jump in the car and head off to the client's house. On the way she texts me she thinks she has strep and she's on the way to the doctor but has left the door unlocked so I can come on in and get started.
Wait, what?!? You can't make these kinds of mornings up!
You think you have STREP? Um, yeah...better get that checked out before I come over. Given the morning I've created it would be my luck to end up with strep with no health insurance. Pass.
So here I find myself...it's not even 10am and I've yelled at my kids, rushed the morning, pushed them to go to school while doubting there were actually well enough to do so all for the sake of what? A client? As I drive home I am overwhelmed at the damage I can create in a few short hours but still thankful that my kids know that I love them. I'm human. They get this single-mom crap is hard. Hugs and apologies will greet both of them when they get out of school. Tomorrow is another day.
Now if I'm honest, its not all that drama that's stressing me out. It's knowing that I have a client scheduled today that won't end in time for me to pick up the kids from school. I know there are Mom's out there who will roll their eyes at my fear that some terrible fate will befall the kids if they dare walk 3/4 mile home from school by themselves...but I do.
And if I'm even more honest, I'd have to admit that I'm also frustrated that as a single-mom, I'm often forced to choose between work and food on the table or being available for the kids.
To make matters worse, I finally got my middle school daughter out of the door (and anyone with a middle school student REGARDLESS of gender knows that can be a feat in itself) and to the bus stop. As we're walking another student is racing back to her house. I ask her if whatever it is is THAT important and she tells me her mom would "kill" her if she forgot her cell phone. Now I pause here to key in on one important phrase, "her mom would 'kill' her if she forgot her cell phone." Somewhere in the far reaches of my daughters brain something should have resonated. Nope. We get to the bus stop with a minute or so to spare. I start running through the checklist, "Do you have..." Last question - "Do you have your cell phone?" I see the look, she knows I'll be pissed, she's even contemplating lying to me...she forgot her cell phone. I explode, "H-O-W am I supposed to make sure you get your brother from school if you don't have your cell phone?" She cringes. She misses the bus. We get her cell phone and I use the car ride to middle school to again remind her how ticked I am COMPLETE with language not suitable for adults much less an 11 yr old. She rides in silence. I drop her off at school straining to say, "I love you" as she gets out.
Now if I'm super honest, I have to admit...most of the time I just feel like I'm making ONE BIG HOT MESS of things. As I drive around the corner, I watch her walking into school and realize I've blown it, yet again. I text her, "I'm sorry, I love you!" She doesn't respond. It's not even 8am, I'm tracking for a spectacular day. Damn.
As I drive back home I vow to settle down and salvage what I can of my son's morning before I walk him to school. I get him off to school, rush home, gather my work stuff, jump in the car and head off to the client's house. On the way she texts me she thinks she has strep and she's on the way to the doctor but has left the door unlocked so I can come on in and get started.
Wait, what?!? You can't make these kinds of mornings up!
You think you have STREP? Um, yeah...better get that checked out before I come over. Given the morning I've created it would be my luck to end up with strep with no health insurance. Pass.
So here I find myself...it's not even 10am and I've yelled at my kids, rushed the morning, pushed them to go to school while doubting there were actually well enough to do so all for the sake of what? A client? As I drive home I am overwhelmed at the damage I can create in a few short hours but still thankful that my kids know that I love them. I'm human. They get this single-mom crap is hard. Hugs and apologies will greet both of them when they get out of school. Tomorrow is another day.
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