OR: Why People That Can’t Spell Shouldn’t Quiz Their Child on Spelling Words While Driving to School
(But we’ll go with the shorter title.)
As I’m getting back into my routine of Dad: Master of The House! I’m also getting back to quizzing His Royal Butthead (The Zweeble) on his spelling words for the week. HRB is not happy with being quizzed on spelling words. The boy is far too much of a perfectionist to have to learn how to spell words, they should spring fully formed, perfectly spelled from his head. The boy actually gets upset and aggravated when he has to spell words over. There is an added bonus of, you-are-spelling-these-words-so-odd-that-I’m-not-sure-if-you-are-messing-with-me that adds extra drama. God in heaven if you were a fly on the wall in the car when I look at him and ask, “Are you messing with me?” your wings would singe. HRB is so upset about spelling he gets grumpy even before he gets into the car. The real problem though, is I have to check and re-check the spelling words from a list. This, this is what I am here to warn you of.
This morning, as I’m telling the boy to spell, subject, I’m at a stoplight in a turn lane. He starts spelling the word, and as he’s almost finished, the light changes and I have to make my turn. Now, the list I have is glued to the left front drink holder, right there on the dashboard of The Crappy Little Yaris. Normally this is a great place to have them because all I have to do is quickly glance down and see the list; in a turn though, the list is blocked by the steering wheel and my hand. Whoops. Instead of saying, “Hold on” I stare at the place where the list has been blocked from my view by the steering wheel and my hand. Whoops again! Fortunately for me, there wasn’t any accident. I didn’t hit a car, there were no squealing of brakes… nothing. Just my realization that I hadn’t been looking at the road for a good 3 – 4 seconds. I then realize that I’ve been doing this on and off for the entire drive thus far. Through a school zone, while crossing three lanes of traffic, and going through a turn. I find this a bit scary. I’m lucky something didn’t happen.
This is another one of those posts that was supposed to be funnier than it turned out to be. I’m going to have to work on a funny one for next time.
I Need To Stretch My Brain 