I miss those toddler days when my kids were brutally honest and the best things would pop out of their mouths… like when my then-2-year old giant bust out an appropriately used f-bomb in the middle of the ER when the nurse couldn’t find a vein after 4 sticks…
Now that we are heavily entrenched in the tween/teen years… they are more hesitant to speak their mind. Society has taught them to be more guarded and silently judge the world instead of voicing their opinions. And this makes me a little sad.
Ok… a lot sad…
Then one day I saw something that Carla Birnberg shared last year (or the year before? I dunno) about a safety bubble… an imaginary safe space where kids can say or do anything without repercussions… and while I didn’t start this when they were little and it’s a bit difficult to un-train to re-train at this age but hey! I like a challenge!
And since we have a 30-45 minute commute twice a day, I opted to make the imaginary safe space, a real safe space.
Our car has become the safety bubble. Anything shared or told in the safety bubble is fair game.
Should they feel like they need to invoke the safety bubble outside of the car, they can ask of course, but the care is a free zone.
There’s still a bit of disbelief in their eyes as they test the waters. As to be expected… it’s new.
but it exists… and so far, nothing earth shattering has been shared… but I see them testing the waters from time to time.
And while some of what is shared is sacred and will not be repeated here out of respect, yesterday the giant, watching all the drivers who couldn’t drive because there was the THREAT of ice… no ACTUAL ICE BTW – just the idea that it was possible – busted out with
“Some people are nice drivers. Some people are assholes. Like seriously.”
I couldn’t agree more giant. I couldn’t agree more.
It’s never too late to join in on the Axis of Ineptitude blogging challenge. Play along in as many or few as you want!
Speak Your Mind