When my almost seven-year-old son sits next to me in the car and asks me to let him start it himself, I allow it with great pleasure. When he turns the key in the ignition, the car purrs, comes to life, and he feels like he can already do a lot. We both like it: I like to teach him, he likes to communicate with me and learn new things.
So. It happened so fast that I still wonder and rejoice how I managed to…
Petya and I were already sitting in the car, he was next to me in the front seat, and we were waiting for my wife to come. Irina came, I ask Petya: “Don’t start the car without me!” and get out to help my wife put things in the back seat. Saved us that I did not slam the car door, because suddenly —
I hear the sound of a starter, and the car behind me starts jerking confidently down the slope, and there, in front, is a ravine. Behind the glass of the car I see the face of a child frozen with fright, to the ravine — no more than 3 meters. I jump sideways, squeeze into the car leaving from under me, pull the keys out of the ignition …
The car stops at the edge of a ravine.
I look at my frightened son, I say: “I love you … Go — I’ll hug you … I asked you — don’t start without me!” — He starts to cry, cuddles … We go to my mother, hugging together — she was worried too.
Having driven off and quickly regained my senses, I reassure everyone again and begin the analysis.
“It’s all right, it’s all right. It’s good that everything went well. What lessons can we learn from this? I will speak for myself, and you think, Petya, what are your mistakes and what decisions will you make.
Lessons for myself: I have a good habit of always taking out the ignition keys when I turn off the car and step out from behind the wheel. Now I need to clearly accustom myself to insert the keys only when everyone has gathered and I got behind the wheel.
And you, Pet, should probably say to yourself: this is the case that shows that it is better to listen to adults. Adults just saw more and know what the consequences of what can be … Do you agree?
The son replied: “Yes, I agree.” I hug him again, hug him and say — it’s great that all this happened and everything ended well this time: now you will be more attentive to what adults say … He explained what neutral speed means, what it means at speed, like me I’m starting … That, they say, this is how life can be — one wrong move, and you — without a car — with a pile of metal … It’s great if you yourself are intact … That’s why the automatic gearbox is better … Yes, and it’s better to put on the handbrake … And children on do not carry the front seat …
And all the time I thought to myself: many thanks to my dear Irinushka, who managed to remain almost calm, supported me in this situation and did not scold any of us. Probably, she didn’t scold anyone because she managed to remain calm. Women are wise!
Time has passed: interestingly, Petya sometimes asks this story to be told to him at night. Children love to listen to bedtime stories, fairy tales are sometimes scary, the main thing is that they have a good ending and that the children are there — real heroes. And it is important for me that we are in these stories together and every time we learn something good.