The Front Seat: It Depends

Everyone remembers the milestones when a baby starts becoming a toddler: first tooth, first birthday, baptism, first word, or even first cold. Those are the kinds of things that retail chains like Hallmark create albums and scrapbooks for that they can sell by the dozen to new parents.

But what about those middle-of-the-pack childhood years? They are important too!

I thought Margot's first day of grade three was pretty important. But I saw that event coming. More recently, something happened that I wasn't prepared for though. Ever so casually, Margot just started asking if she could sit in the front seat of the car. And guess what? I let her!

Unlike booster seat requirements, there is no law that requires children to sit in the backseat but in my mind I was thinking "Whhha... but kids go in the back...". I know, I know there are lots of good safety reasons why kids should stay in the backseat until they are older (depending on their size and weight). But whereas before I was certain Margot should always be in the backseat, now I'm entering a whole new era of grey where...it depends. Maybe on a clear sunny days where I'm just taking her over to her ballet class she can sit in the front seat  whereas during a snowstorm where the roads are more slippery, the back seat seat is better. That might shock some parents who may always lean towards safety over everything. But that's not me. I'm more of a life-is-for-living-and-bending-the-rules-here-and-there kindof guy.

So here I go, entering into a brave new world of "it depends". I think that sums up my parenting style right now. Who knows, before I know it she may be walking home from school BY HERSELF! Ahhhh!

Haha what a sly smile