Claire, Temporary Superhero

Here’s a quick and easy way to completely impress your young child. Find a parking lot (any will do) and wait until a car (extra points for it being a mid-size SUV) starts to roll backwards without anyone driving it. Notice that car with ghost driver is about to roll backwards into a parked car (extra points if that parked car is your car). Yell to child to stay on sidewalk as you dash into parking lot and, using your Mommy skills and strength, stop car with your bare hands.

I tested this out today after leaving Laura’s doctor’s office, and I’m pleased to report that it thus far has a 100% success rate at wowing young kids. I only wish I had had the foresight enough to use just one hand as I stopped the runaway car-that would have been even more impressive.

My favorite part of this whole ordeal was when I went back into the building to report the runaway car. No one in Laura’s doctor’s office would claim ownership, so we went to the next office to inquire, as the car was blocking part of the parking lot (and my only way of getting out). As I walked by the door leading to the parking lot, I noticed the car was gone! So we went back outside and saw the car being driven away (by a real person this time). I was able to stop them before they left and it turned out the driver was a very young teenage girl. I told her what had transpired and she was very apologetic and said she hadn’t put on the parking brake. There was no harm done, and I told her I had stopped her just to give her a heads up as to why her car was in the middle of the parking lot (I’m sure she was wondering-at least I hope she was). She thanked me again; we went on our way, me with my ego momentarily inflated by my superhero skills.

In retrospect, I have to admit I was surprised when she told me that she just didn't put on the parking brake. That could have been a pretty costly oversight for her, because I would not have been happy if my brand new VW ended up with a smashed bumper. When I was a new driver, my father drilled it into my head to ALWAYS USE THE PARKING BRAKE. It’s called the parking brake for a reason, right? I know it’s fairly passé to use it nowadays, but I present this story as a good reason to do so. You just never know when your car may decide to go joy riding without you.

And as usual, feel free to apply this to your own life as needed. I guarantee it will impress your child! Sadly though, it didn't really impress the Army Man so I can't make any promises for how other adults will react.