Safety Zone

Warning: Criminal Activity Ahead

Warning for My Sister Jenny: Behavior You Won’t Condone Ahead

I came home in the middle of the day today to pick up Ezra. I needed to run some errands for Soccer Nights, and I thought I would bring him with me since he was so bummed about not seeing me much yesterday.

Zach was happy because, as he said, “Now I get some alone time with Z.,” the pretty teenage babysitter upon whom both boys have a crush.  Ezra was happy because, as he said, “Yes! I love being your helper, Mommy.  Plus, I’ll get to registrate early, right?”

“That’s register, buddy.  And yes, you can register early?”

Off we go.  Unfortunately, I didn’t plan ahead well, and at one point I need to lower the back seat to fit all of the tables into the back of my car.  Where was I going to put Ezra?

I let him ride in the front seat for half of a mile, on his booster seat, with the passenger air bag disabled. He was probably one of the safest kids in the world at that point, but I felt like I was dangling him over Niagara Falls.  By one foot.

I know why we have all of the safety laws we have.  And for the most part I am grateful for them.  But one negative consequence of them is that they warp your perspective on what safe looks like.  I’ve been around the world where families of four ride on one motorcycle. Where children wander the streets without a constant adult eye on them. I’ve even seen parts of the world where kids, get this, ride bikes without helmets.

For his part, Ezra acted like he was on his first date.  He took my hand and grinned at me with a twinkle in his eye.  After a few minutes of silence, he said, “I could do this all day.”

Me too, I thought.  If only I weren’t about to get arrested.  Or if I hadn’t been conditioned to think no amount of risk is tolerable.  Because as great as it was, as soon as we dropped off the tables, I moved him right back into the back seat and breathed a great big sigh of relief.