(i took this off my "family & friends" blog today... it occurs to me that some of you may have kids in day care over the summer and that your daycare attendants be of the same mind as these young ladies were. heads up.)
"Returning home from my morning bike lap on the parcourse, I cruised through the parking lot @ the perc pond park. Imagine how surprised I was to see a group of ~20 little kids - pre-schoolers, I'm sure - sitting on the ground, surrounding a very bright, multi-colored parachute-thingie - IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH PARKING LOT!!!
Not on the grass. Not on the side of the parking lot. Not in the farthest corner of the parking lot.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH PARKING LOT - AND CARS WERE DRIVING AROUND THEM RATHER THAN RUN OVER THEM!!!!
As I rode up to them (to exit the parking lot), I slowed down and said to the very young, bright-n-shiny young teenagers who were in charge of these kids:
"Excuse me, but you're sitting in the middle of the parking lot with these little children - do you realize how unsafe it is here with cars going by?"
"Yes, but the grass is wet." (No, I'm not making this up.)
With great incredulity in my voice, I said:
So let's see if I've got this right. You've parked this group of little children smack in the middle of the drive-through parking lot because you would rather risk their getting run over by a careless driver than getting their bottoms wet on the grass or finding another activity. Is that what you're really telling me, because if it is, I'll call the police right this moment and let them (and the parents of these children) help you make a better decision."
"We're sorry, we'll move them."
I said, "No need to be sorry, but remember, you've got someone's little kids here and both the children and their parents trust you to look after them and their safety."
I'm pleased to report that as I bicycled away, the kids were folding up the thingie and moving to the grass."
side note: just a couple of weeks ago, two teenage boys were run over by a car while they slept in the street in front of their houses. (no, i'm not making this up.) when i asked these girls if they'd heard about the boys being run over in the street, they both said, "yes".
common sense is very uncommon.
"Returning home from my morning bike lap on the parcourse, I cruised through the parking lot @ the perc pond park. Imagine how surprised I was to see a group of ~20 little kids - pre-schoolers, I'm sure - sitting on the ground, surrounding a very bright, multi-colored parachute-thingie - IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH PARKING LOT!!!
Not on the grass. Not on the side of the parking lot. Not in the farthest corner of the parking lot.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVE-THROUGH PARKING LOT - AND CARS WERE DRIVING AROUND THEM RATHER THAN RUN OVER THEM!!!!
As I rode up to them (to exit the parking lot), I slowed down and said to the very young, bright-n-shiny young teenagers who were in charge of these kids:
"Excuse me, but you're sitting in the middle of the parking lot with these little children - do you realize how unsafe it is here with cars going by?"
"Yes, but the grass is wet." (No, I'm not making this up.)
With great incredulity in my voice, I said:
So let's see if I've got this right. You've parked this group of little children smack in the middle of the drive-through parking lot because you would rather risk their getting run over by a careless driver than getting their bottoms wet on the grass or finding another activity. Is that what you're really telling me, because if it is, I'll call the police right this moment and let them (and the parents of these children) help you make a better decision."
"We're sorry, we'll move them."
I said, "No need to be sorry, but remember, you've got someone's little kids here and both the children and their parents trust you to look after them and their safety."
I'm pleased to report that as I bicycled away, the kids were folding up the thingie and moving to the grass."
side note: just a couple of weeks ago, two teenage boys were run over by a car while they slept in the street in front of their houses. (no, i'm not making this up.) when i asked these girls if they'd heard about the boys being run over in the street, they both said, "yes".
common sense is very uncommon.
:biggrin: I'm kidding of course. Thanks for the heads up. Nobody will ever be as careful with my kids as I am. I'm sure that's true with most people.
