March 24, 2009

Any Advice From You Wise Readers?

Today was Alayna's two-month checkup.

She is a healthy 12 pounds

And perfect in every way.

Not that I expected anything less of course.


Upon leaving the Pediatricians office, I opened the door while fumbling with the bulky car seat and diaper bag, and, of course, the boys ran out. Yelling at them to "watch out for cars" and "wait for me", I turned back to save Savannah from being squished by the extremely heavy door. Then, turning back around I see Joseph, head bent down against the very cold, very strong wind, just waltzing his was into the parking lot and walking right into the path of on oncoming Suburban.

I think my heart stopped.

I yelled his name just as he saw it and stopped (I don't think he could have missed it. After all he was staring right at the bumper), just as the lady driving the Suburban saw him and stopped. Good thing he was wearing a flaming orange jacket.
Apparently preaching death and destruction, pain, agony, and danger about the road has done no good whatsoever.
A lady told me the other day that she dressed up a banana and put it in the middle of the road and sat there with her kids until a car came by and squished it. That was how she taught her kids how dangerous the road can be. I'm thinking I'm going to give it a try.

What are some of the methods you guys use or have used? Because apparently, my methods aren't working. And at the rate my kids are going, I'm going to die of heart failure.

10 super cool people speak:

Mama Smith said...

Oh..my goodness...Alayna is absolutely PRECIOUS!!!

Remember when Abraham ran in front of the BUS when he was 2 years old? He was so SHAKENED up...that I don't believe he ever ran out in front of cars or into the street, again...

Hmmm...instead of a banana...perhaps a baby DOLL...They might think a squished banana was COOL....

One more thing...and I am SERIOUS about this one...Children need to learn "obedience" by RESPONDING the FIRST TIME a parent speaks...Unfortunately, that demands a GREAT deal of WORK UPFRONT when they are SMALL...to learn to RESPOND the FIRST TIME...

Momza said...

Mom of 7--here's my two cents:

When my yahoos were younger, we would have a talk before we opened "the door" (any door: car door, house door, store door, McDonalds door, whatever)--I stressed to them to be in the moment--"Okay, we're all going to the car, and we're going to look out for cars. All of us. And we're going to be very careful and hold hands so everyone is safe."

And "being in the moment" taught them a good habit to pay attention to their surroundings.
I led by example, as we got to a street, holding hands, I would ask outloud:"Are there any cars? Is it safe to go yet?"

Proud to say, they're all alive and well.

Brittney said...

EEks, scary.. I like momza's advice. It's always good to have kids all on the same page, and if they can even help watch out for each other then it becomes like an important job for them.

Brittney said...

And Alayna is very beautiful.

Kira said...

Amen Mother Smith. That is what we are dealing with. Sometimes the first chance is the only chance. Hopefully Serene and I can figure out how to teach it. Hang in Serene, and DON'T go outside.

Serene is my name, not my life! said...

Mom, agree. If I could just learn how to teach them them to listen the first time, many a problem would be solved.

Momza, thanks for your great advice. While I ALWAYS tell my kids to watch out for cars whenever we go somewhere, I think it often falls on deaf ears as they are so use to hearing. But I really like the idea of expressing how we should be in the moment and to watch out for each other.

Haha! Kira, you're my hero!

Sarah said...

Serene, my kids live in the moment and can't respond the first time I say something every time. It just isn't possible with their abilities at their age and expecting it just leads to me getting angry and them feeling overwhelmed with my anger. So take it easy on yourself with that one.

What I did with the street situation is I taught my kids that as soon as they get out of the car (or when we get to the car, ready to get it), they need to touch the car and *stay touching the car* until I lead them away from it. That keeps them safe when I have to be getting multiple kids or things out of/into the car.

When we're leaving buildings and walking back to the cars, I have them hold hands. If they are crank with each other and don't want to hold hands, they need to hold onto the cart or my bags or purse. Just holding each others hand slows them down considerably and being present (just physically touching) another kid makes them less easily distractable by shiny things in the street or racing each other to the car. If they do decide to race while holding hands, they slow each other down considerably giving you much more of a chance to see it happening and redirect them.

Just what works for me.

Serene is my name, not my life! said...

Thanks Sarah.
And I love your advice. Thanks so much for sharing.

ldsjaneite said...

I'm not much on the experience part, but many in my family go places similar to how Sarah does it--holding hands. (We seem to be more worried about strangers than cars, as a lot of my nieces/nephews are wanderers and overly friendly.) If there are no open adult hands, then they have to hold one of the kid's hands who is holding an adult's hand, just forming the chain. It sometimes is the contest of who can get to an adult's hands before the rest of the kids.

All I have to do is hold my hand out to them, and my nieces/nephews know to come to it. And that I and they don't go anywhere until the connection is made. If adult hands are full, then the kids hold onto purses, the car seat handle, make-shift kid leashes...

That's why I like the picture on the front page of this website (http://www.reflectionsofchrist.org/)--because I have done the same with my hand and the children have run to it. Looking at the picture, I know I am the child running to the Savior's inviting hand.

Good luck with it all. I'm glad all the kids are still alive. And that Alayna is so cute.

Tabitha (From Single to Married) said...

Wow! Talk about being protected! I don't have any advice, but just wanted to say I'm glad everything was okay. And your little one is beautiful!

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