Kid Fights
"Bikes are bigger than cars. On a bike you're in the whole world, in a car you're stuck in a little space." ~Max Overshiner
06/10/07
As we prepared to leave for school a few weeks ago, the kids started arguing. Apparently, the evening before Annarose had loaned Max her toy car to ride on Garden Ct. She did this reluctantly, but finally relented after Max promised to pay her $1000 if he scratched the car. As we were putting on our helmets to leave for school the next morning, Annarose noticed a scratch.
"Mom! Max owes me $1000" she informed me.
"Oh really AR, why's that?" I asked absent-mindedly.
"Because he scratched my car!" she replied.
Being in a hurry to leave and seeing this was the beginning of a big argument, I said something like "OK, just get on the bike. We'll figure this out later."
As we prepared to leave, the yelling started in earnest. Thinking that if we could just get going this would stop, surely they can't argue and ride at the same time. I ordered "Just get on the bikes and let's go!" So we did. However, it wasn't the end of the argument as I had hoped. Max rode up next to Annarose, who was on the tag-along attached to my bike, and the yelling continued. We rode over to Hillside, down Sunset Lane, on West Blvd, and over to Maupin. The whole way, Max stayed right next to Annarose yelling at her. "Yeah, well you're not a very good driver and you owe me $1000." Annarose shot at Max. "You don't even know how to drive!" Max replied angrily...and on and on for almost a mile. Max staying right next to Annarose just so he could yell at her and she at him. I was wearing down, feeling defeated. I kept hoping they would just stop, but they didn't and they didn't and they didn't.
Finally, near the intersection of Maupin and Greenwood, I had a wonderful idea. "Max," I said "Go ride ahead of us. Now. And stay there." Max shot ahead about half a block. There was immediate peace and quiet. And that was the end of that. That simple. Separate them. Divide and conquer.
As I watched Max riding up ahead and chatted with Annarose about anything other than toy cars and $1000, I thougt to myself this never could have happened in a car. If we'd taken the car, I'd be listening to the arguement all the way to school, saying things like "There's an invisible line down the middle of the backseat, do not cross it. Be quiet and look out your own window. Do not look at or talk to your brother/sister." All the while, I'd be getting more and more frustrated, because in all likelihood they'd keep arguing and making faces at each other. Cars are just too small when kids are arguing.
06/10/07
As we prepared to leave for school a few weeks ago, the kids started arguing. Apparently, the evening before Annarose had loaned Max her toy car to ride on Garden Ct. She did this reluctantly, but finally relented after Max promised to pay her $1000 if he scratched the car. As we were putting on our helmets to leave for school the next morning, Annarose noticed a scratch.
"Mom! Max owes me $1000" she informed me.
"Oh really AR, why's that?" I asked absent-mindedly.
"Because he scratched my car!" she replied.
Being in a hurry to leave and seeing this was the beginning of a big argument, I said something like "OK, just get on the bike. We'll figure this out later."
As we prepared to leave, the yelling started in earnest. Thinking that if we could just get going this would stop, surely they can't argue and ride at the same time. I ordered "Just get on the bikes and let's go!" So we did. However, it wasn't the end of the argument as I had hoped. Max rode up next to Annarose, who was on the tag-along attached to my bike, and the yelling continued. We rode over to Hillside, down Sunset Lane, on West Blvd, and over to Maupin. The whole way, Max stayed right next to Annarose yelling at her. "Yeah, well you're not a very good driver and you owe me $1000." Annarose shot at Max. "You don't even know how to drive!" Max replied angrily...and on and on for almost a mile. Max staying right next to Annarose just so he could yell at her and she at him. I was wearing down, feeling defeated. I kept hoping they would just stop, but they didn't and they didn't and they didn't.
Finally, near the intersection of Maupin and Greenwood, I had a wonderful idea. "Max," I said "Go ride ahead of us. Now. And stay there." Max shot ahead about half a block. There was immediate peace and quiet. And that was the end of that. That simple. Separate them. Divide and conquer.
As I watched Max riding up ahead and chatted with Annarose about anything other than toy cars and $1000, I thougt to myself this never could have happened in a car. If we'd taken the car, I'd be listening to the arguement all the way to school, saying things like "There's an invisible line down the middle of the backseat, do not cross it. Be quiet and look out your own window. Do not look at or talk to your brother/sister." All the while, I'd be getting more and more frustrated, because in all likelihood they'd keep arguing and making faces at each other. Cars are just too small when kids are arguing.
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