Drive time: Make full use of it

No, I'm not talking about sending that urgent email, having that wake-up coffee, eating a hurried two-bite breakfast or touching up on that lipstick while driving. What I'm talking about is imparting value to our children. Yes, otherwise known as "lecturing" them. 

Before I elaborate on the lecturing part, let me tell you what's my drive time. As a full time mom, my first job description is fetching my kids home from school. I can subcontract cooking to my wallet but I can't leave them in school, can I? Tempting... but no. I fetch them home whenever I can (which is most of the time). As for what happens whenever I can't, I won't go into that now. That's not relevant here.

I actually enjoy driving my kids home. I can get out of the house, do less housework, and relax with the radio on. That's before they get in the car. Once they get in the car, the noise level is usually upped several notches. When I'm lucky, they'll be quiet and listen to the radio. When I'm luckier, a teachable moment presents itself. That's when I seize it!

What better time to lecture than when I have them all to myself? In the confined spaces of our car, I don't lose them the computer, the iPad, the iPhone and the books. They've got no choice but to listen. I let them ask questions. In fact, I welcome their questions. Questions mean they are interested, paying attention and most importantly, susceptible to the values I'd like them to have.

A perfect example of this happened when my eldest, Heng, a pre-teen, was in the car with me. As we passed a secondary school, a student zoomed out of the school on a motorbike.  

"Mom, that looks dangerous!" He said, referring to the way the student ride. The Moment! With a capital M! I seized it immediately!

Keeping an even tone of voice (to mask my excitement), I explained how some teenagers think they're all grown up and all knowing (they think can safely ride a bike in a dangerous way) and not heeding to elders' advice and opinion (to ride in a safe way). I told him that parents have been through more in their lives compared to their children, no matter what age. Such experiences enable them to see potential consequences that their children, with less life experiences, cannot. Therefore, it is best to listen to what parents have to say and digest it before dismissing them.

I think of this as vaccination against rebelliousness in his upcoming teenage years. Drive time fully made use of. Don't you agree?