Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Road rage

For those of you who have been spared my ranting and raving about driving in Rhode Island--your number is up. The stories I could tell. Now, you may think perhaps I'm the problem. Consider my evidence. 1. Our car insurance tripled when we moved to this state. 2. People sent us youtube clips mocking the drivers of Little Rhodey. 3. In a national driving survey, Rhode Island drivers were found least likely to understand and implement driving laws. So there.

Yesterday was a bad day in the car for me. By time I nearly crashed into a woman that was running a red, red light (as in the two cars ahead of me had already crossed the intersection) I was crazy angry. The kind of muttering to myself that makes my kids really quiet. I could almost hear them saying to each other, "Sh, don't draw attention to yourself. She's on a rampage." It made me feel a little bad.

Fifteen minutes later and still in the car, I started giving Kylie a hard time for having no patience with her siblings and telling her how we can't control other people blah, blah blah. The epiphany came then. I had no moral high ground. Zero. Zilch. It stopped me mid sentence. I felt certain that as I learned how to model that brand of self discipline my kids would learn how to copy it.

So, I'm going to learn to count to ten and drive more cautiously. I'm going to learn to laugh so my kids can learn to laugh too.

4 comments:

  1. And I thought Utah county drivers were bad! I sympathize about your kids modeling your behavior. How often have I scolded my children, only to realize that they are only doing what they have seen and heard me do. If there was ever a good motivation for being the best I can, they are it!

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  2. Well, my kids know that when "Angry Mom" comes out. Look out! I usually get lots of kisses and hugs to calm my troubled heart. But who did they learn that from? Not me. Hum.

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  3. OH no!!! I would have totally flipped the bird...or at least the mormon turkey. That's all terrible. But funny too, in a wierd way.

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  4. Hi Julie!!!!! I'll be at LTUE Fri. and Sat. but won't be attending Storymakers or WIFYR. I just as well be out there in Rhode Island with you. Keep writing and let me know if you need a reader.

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