Silent Car Ride

As parents we often plead for it. We encourage “the quiet game” to trick our kids into giving us one. We install DVD players and play their favorite songs on repeat to keep the peace. We cherish every minute when we finally get to escape solo, even if only for a quick errand.

Then one day, we get it. It happens without warning and even without realization. The day comes when everyone gets in the car on their own. Everyone climbs in without assistance, sits down, and buckles their own seatbelt. The only sound is the music playing on the car radio station that you chose because the backseat passengers have their earbuds in anyway. You drive to your destination and notice you did so without speaking a word.

Instead of looking in the, “I’m watching you", mirror installed in your minivan, and seeing little silly and noisy faces look back at you, you glance at the passenger seat to see a slender mature face hidden behind the hood of their sweatshirt, sitting silently and avoiding all conversation or eye contact.

This is the type of thing they don’t tell you about parenthood. It’s the little things that grab your attention out of nowhere and tug at your parent heartstrings. Those silly, round, noisy faces, staring at you from the back seat, kicking their little shoes while they sing a song and ask you a million questions, suddenly go away.

I know we get tired of people saying “Enjoy the chaos! It’ll be gone one day”, because sometimes it’s just too much and it’s human to wish it would stop. I get it.

As a young mom with older kids, watching many friends and family just starting their parenthood adventure, trust me when I say, “They’re right”. Chaos is only a small portion of your parenthood. Close your eyes, take a breath, and remember: It won’t be like this forever.

One day you’ll blink and that little face that only wanted to be with you in your personal space, doesn’t need that anymore. Honestly, you’ll enjoy your quiet time alone that you start to see more and more, but if given the option between the two, I’d take back a noisy car ride over a silent one in a heartbeat.