role reversal
(cross posted at Midcentury Modern Moms)
So I've spent the better part of 17 years as Becca's live-in chauffeur. There is no such thing as public transportation in our community, so children are completely dependent on their parnets for transportation. And gradually I slipped into the role of "car pool mom", the mom who is always available to drive not only her own children, but all of their friends, to the mall, the movies, whereever they hope to congregate.
That is, until I became her driving instructor -- and spent many months looking for that invisible brake. When you're teaching your child to drive, even though it's an adult activity, you're still in the role of parent.
And when she got her driver's license...well, she's been driving all over creation, but not with me in the car. She does not, however, have a vehicle of her own....unless you consider the purple two-wheeler I bought her when she was 8 a "vehicle". On weekends, Becca drives my car.
but it's different during the week. My car usually spends weekdays in the parking lot of the train station. I have a six minute drive to the station every morning, and a six minute drive home. And for the balance of the day, my car just takes up space.
Meanwhile, if Becca needs wheels...she enters into negotiations with her grandma. Becca would prefer her own car, of course, but she doens't really object to using my mom's Camry. So long as my mom does nto need her car, she will allow Becca to drive it.
But every so often, there comes a time when ...well, the car can't be in three different places at once, can it?
So one recent morning my mom drove me to the train station. But mom didn't pick me up that evening.
No, for the first time in my life....Becca was my chauffeur. There she was maneuvering though the parking lot along with some of the most aggressive drivers on the planet...and she managed just fine.
Suddenly I am starting to feel old.
So I've spent the better part of 17 years as Becca's live-in chauffeur. There is no such thing as public transportation in our community, so children are completely dependent on their parnets for transportation. And gradually I slipped into the role of "car pool mom", the mom who is always available to drive not only her own children, but all of their friends, to the mall, the movies, whereever they hope to congregate.
That is, until I became her driving instructor -- and spent many months looking for that invisible brake. When you're teaching your child to drive, even though it's an adult activity, you're still in the role of parent.
And when she got her driver's license...well, she's been driving all over creation, but not with me in the car. She does not, however, have a vehicle of her own....unless you consider the purple two-wheeler I bought her when she was 8 a "vehicle". On weekends, Becca drives my car.
but it's different during the week. My car usually spends weekdays in the parking lot of the train station. I have a six minute drive to the station every morning, and a six minute drive home. And for the balance of the day, my car just takes up space.
Meanwhile, if Becca needs wheels...she enters into negotiations with her grandma. Becca would prefer her own car, of course, but she doens't really object to using my mom's Camry. So long as my mom does nto need her car, she will allow Becca to drive it.
But every so often, there comes a time when ...well, the car can't be in three different places at once, can it?
So one recent morning my mom drove me to the train station. But mom didn't pick me up that evening.
No, for the first time in my life....Becca was my chauffeur. There she was maneuvering though the parking lot along with some of the most aggressive drivers on the planet...and she managed just fine.
Suddenly I am starting to feel old.
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