I’ve done some questionable things behind the wheel.
I’ll admit it.
There’s been a time (or two) when I had a drink and thought I was fine to drive.
There’s definitely been more than one moment when I’ve responded to a text at a red light… or maybe even while moving.
Not proud of it.
Not advocating for it.
Just being honest.
But here’s the thing:
Nothing in this world, no drink, no text, no defensive driving course, prepares you for driving with a screaming toddler in the backseat.
The Ultimate Distraction
Think you’ve been distracted?
Try merging onto the highway with a child in full meltdown mode.
The kind of screaming that rattles your brain, vibrates in your chest, makes you question your life choices.
They’re kicking, sobbing, trying to Houdini their way out of the car seat straps, like an angry little escape artist.
And you’re 20 minutes from home.
Trapped.
Nowhere to pull over, no one to tag in.
Just you, your hands gripping the wheel, pretending like your heart isn’t pounding and your patience isn’t hanging by a single frayed thread.
Forget Texting. Forget the Drink.
This is what no one tells you about parenting.
The moments that test you aren’t always the ones people warn you about.
It’s not just sleepless nights or messy kitchens or tantrums in the grocery store.
It’s the quiet panic when you’re doing 70 mph and your child is screaming like the world is ending… and you still have to keep driving.
There’s no manual for that.
No defensive driving course.
No PSA or cautionary tale.
Just Another Confession…
So yeah, maybe I’ve made mistakes behind the wheel before.
Maybe I’m still working on that “don’t touch your phone” rule.
But nothing… absolutely nothing compares to the intensity of keeping it together with a toddler losing their mind in the backseat.
And honestly, I wonder…
Why don’t we talk about how hard that moment is?