Knowledge=Love

One More Bicycle Safety Tip You Must Share With Your Little Ones...

Oliver (my 2 year old) and I were headed to Central Park Wednesday morning for a lovely game of mommy-son baseball. Per usual, he was riding his like-a-bike, helmet on, wearing brightly colored clothing, following "the rules" and looking absolutely darling doing it. 

We had the walk signal and were crossing the street when all of a sudden he stopped right in the middle of Columbus Avenue... would not move. Wouldn't go back to where we started, wouldn't finish crossing the street to where we were going. The light was still red but cars were beginning to line up across the 3 lanes that make up Columbus. "Come on Ollie, lets go play baseball... come Oliver... hurry up Love, it's almost the cars turn to go..." Oliver by this point has whole heartedly committed to this impromptu game of chicken and after several requests I begin to feel panicked. "Why is he doing this?" I think as he's yelling at me in his 2 year old voice to "NO, go, just go". I realize I am totally having one of those "mom moments" that other people looooove to judge (and they were, believe me) but also realize my son is in real danger. So what the hell, I gave them a whole show... not only is my 2 year old sitting on his bike in the middle of traffic (light is going to change any minute- what mom allows that to happen?) but yes, this 2 year old has the angry screaming mother who then proceeds to lift & carry him by one arm, the like-a-bike in the other hand and run to the other side of the street... continuing to yell even after the goal of safety had been met. Yep, pretty proud moment for me. 

Ahhhh, but there in lies the last bicycle safety tip... safety first kiddos- we moms will do anything to keep you safe. So please sweet children if you ever, ever decide to stop your bike in the middle of a busy street, know that your mother will show up as a total crazy person, yanking you to safety, screaming all the way. Do you really want that? 

Real tip: When crossing the street (after stopping, looking and listening) your goal is to get to the other side of the street as quickly as possible... no dilly dallying in the street... ever.

know more. worry less.