Please Don't Arrest Us!

My mother has given me some very wise advice on parenting: never threaten something you will not actually do.

One of my biggest pet-peeves: tantrums in the car. Time of day, nor age, nor day of the week seem to be a factor in the constant CRAP that happens in my super-sweet, mom-mobile. The cries of "I want to sit in that seat, " " I wanted to get in this side, " " I want to close the door, " " I don't want to be buckled in!!!!" BLAH BLAH BLAH! So, like any good, kind, nurturing mother, I started threatening a much higher power than myself, the police. I would catch myself telling the kids that they were "breaking the law" by not buckling themselves or unbuckling themselves and lecture about the absolute danger of being distracted while I drive by fighting and yelling. So, I decided to use law enforcement to help enforce the rules of the road. It has always worked quite well. But today, today was different. It didn't work as quickly as it should have. My "threat", my "threat," was losing its touch. What is a mom to do? So, I followed the wise words of my mother: Follow through.

Today was Miss Lily's turn to throw an absolute fit because she didn't get to close the door with the cool button. Screaming, crying, wailing followed. I needed to act fast. I needed to prove the point. This was my chance. I immediately headed for the police department, of course, lecturing the whole way. We pulled up to the front doors of the police station. Lily sobbing, " I AMMMMMM buckled now MOMMMM! Emme crying, " Please don't get Lily arrested.

As we sat in front of the police station, I continued my lecture with the obvious dangers of not being buckled in and the danger that screaming posed to a driver in the car. At this point (now please don't judge), I had them begging. Follow through, follow through, was all I could think. The advice kept repeating itself in my mind.

Well, I didn't exactly follow through. No arrests were made, no police lectures were given. But, after posing the question while sitting in front of the police station, "What should you do when you get in this car!?!?!?, " the response was short, yet refreshing from both of my oldest at the same time, "LISTEN TO MOMMY!".

Score 1 for this mom and, hopefully, lesson learned.

P.S. I so would have had the police come out and lecture the kids and I'd like to think that I would have objected to any arrest.