Tuesday, June 2, 2009

The Drill

Safety Sickness 101

I pick Amber up from school. Everyday we go home, or we run errands. Either way whenever we get home, we stop at the mailbox, she gets the mail, and 7 out of 10 times she wants to walk/jog home while I drive. I saw this as an opportunity to slip a safety drill in. I mean, who wouldn't?

I drive slow next to her, and I act as a stranger:

Me: Hey.

Amber: Hi

Me: want a ride?

Amber: NO.

Me: I have a puppy in my car, want to see it?

Amber: Silence

Me: your Mom asked me to pick you up

Amber: She starts running.

We have done this drill several times. This is how it went in the beginning. Then when the drill was over, I would tell her:

You answered too many questions
Shout NO and STRANGER
You should have been running after the 'Hey'.

She has gotten so much better. Her reaction time is quicker, and swifter. I'm happy. Today, we went to get her bike that was chained to a tree by the pool because we...uumm....forgot she rode it to the pool yesterday.

So, on the way back. I 'drilled her'. Me on foot, her on her bike. It ended with me running and chasing her, and her reply was:

"Mom, I hope who ever is going to chase somebody can run faster than you."

Hey, I'll humiliate myself to teach my kids safety. It's all good.

1 comment:

Marie Marsicano said...

Can Robert video tape this for us next time???