When are you going to learn?
I guess I should be happy the boy has a job. Yes. My third born now works for Dominos delivering pizzas. Of course, it was only after accepting the job that he learned a person has to have a driver’s license for two years before being allowed to deliver using a car – so he will be transporting pizzas on a bike for two months. In the winter. With set night hours of 5-9 pm so the job doesn’t interfere with classes. Hmmm….
He left the house for his first shift in black clothes from head-to-toe with no jacket. After having the parenting discussion with him regarding common sense, I provided numerous suggestions – Get a jacket. Put on clothes that will allow cars to see you on the road. Get reflective tape for the bike. Better yet, request different hours – when it is light outside – his response was short – “I’ll be fine.” And apparently, he was. But he did spend the next day purchasing and attaching lights on his bike. He also wore warmer clothes, and a jacket, as windy and cold weather can be quite the motivator.
Some lessons kids have to learn for themselves. So parents, prompt less. Lecture less. Remind less. Consequences happen and kids learn – or not. Either way, our over-involvement in the ebb-and-flow process of life lessons is probably not helping things. At some point, we have to just step back and watch the developmental process unfold as it may. Pizza anyone?