One of the most valuable lessons I have learned from being a parent is that children have slow reaction times.
With this knowledge I never point anything out when we are driving in the car. I can scream hysterically, wave my hand in the proper direction of the exciting discovery I’ve just laid my eyes on and yet my kids never look quick enough.
We pass it or it is gone. This turns into begging to please turn around and with that usually not being a possibility, heartbreak.
Someone definitely forgot to pass this helpful tip along to me. Nowhere in that Motherhood Handbook that we all receive did it say anything about “suppressing our excitement about seeing animals crossing the road because your children will never see it”. Not only will they not see it but they will demand you stop the car and trudge through the woods in search of them. When you refuse to do this they will be emotionally hurt and be left with a scar caused from you withholding this wondrous sight.
Sometimes I forget my own wisdom on this matter. I see a deer crossing the road and though this is a common sight in Wisconsin….I still have to state the fact. I think this is mainly due to the fact that deer mean trouble. If you hit one of these you will more than likely be visiting a body shop or mechanic. So sometimes I think I blurt it out almost as a reminder to myself to slow down and be on the lookout. If there’s one, there is usually more. The other day I saw a mother deer and three babies crossing the road. I was in shock. Did she have triplets? Is that possible? Even though there was 4 deer to witness… the children missed them ALL.
Most little boys, including my son are fascinated with airplanes. As a nice gesture I would point them out to him whenever I saw one flying in the sky. He’s on his own now to spot them himself.
We’ve passed flocks of geese feeding in a field that covered a good 100 yards. I’ve slowed down and considering the massiveness of this sight, it should give the kids a good 20 seconds to capture this feast for the eyes. They miss it every time. Therefore forcing me to seal my lips and throw away the key to this vision I’ve just partaken in on all future sightings.
I love clouds. I fancy myself a professional cloud depicter. Within two seconds I can visibly make out a tiger with a fish in its mouth. It is SO apparent. Nobody could miss it or mistake it for anything else. By the time my kids even locate the cloud I am pointing to it turns into an ice cream cone. Then I have to start describing all over again that the rectangle on the bottom is the cone and the fluffy mound on top is the ice cream resting on the cone. It isn’t as cool…. and they wish they would have seen the tiger.
Now I realize the probability of an elephant crossing the road in Wisconsin is highly unlikely. But you can bet your bottom dollar that if I were to spot one, there is no way I’m pointing it out. The kids will never see it.
This is Iris when she was 2 years old…there’s an elephant right behind her….she has no clue!
Motherhood Is An Art 