Road Safety Lesson

The road was most always empty at this point in the day, and we had time.  I circled back and decided shock value would finally land this lesson.  I stopped, put my flashers on, right in the middle of the road.  I reminded my boys about how critical it was not to run or bike across any road without being properly informed.  How it was crucial to look both ways and both ways again.  The importance of stopping-immediately-when asked.  The value of keeping your ears attentive to what's around you.  And the grave truth:  cars and trucks are stronger than us, faster, taller, and they could hurt us really bad.

My boys looked this way and that, from the back seat, for cars.  Uncomfortable, they hurriedly convinced me they understood.  

Expecting me to drive on, I instead opened the side slider door, exposing, just below them on the yellow line, a squirrel who'd been hit by a car.  He was 'clean' road kill, which is why I decided to stop in the first place.  They were shocked, studied him while I talked on about pedestrian safety.  They nodding to me. "Yes.  Yes, Momma. Umhum."

photo credit: loyalkng

I closed the door.  Drove away.  
And my five year old son said, "Mommy, can we get a hamster?"