Pretending to drive

I sometimes blow off people with well-meaning parental advice. Sometimes I am right and sometimes I am wrong. I was wrong when I ignored advice not to let my kid sit on my lap and pretend to drive. When Z was 4, she and her 5 year old friend were waiting in the minivan (which was left running) while the Daddies stood outside looking at some land the church was considering purchasing. She decided to pretend to drive again. She forgot the part where I told her never to touch the gearshift. Fortunately, she only drove a few feet before she hit a curb and Daddy promptly rescued her. Needless to say, A has never sat on my lap pretending to drive.

I consider myself fortunate. I can't imagine being this mom answering a knock on the door in the middle of the night to a police officer with my 4 year old who was doing more than just pretending.