Happy Trails

Jake Frost contemplates the opportunities for parent-child communication in the daily commute to school, camp, or practices.

I hear a lot from the kids while I’m driving them around in the car. Whether it’s on the way to school in the morning, heading home in the afternoon after school, or in the evenings after practices and lessons, our high-mileage minivan is more than mere conveyance: it’s a rolling setting for telling stories, a bouncing buggy of bulletins, a jalopy of jocular tales.

It’s in the car that I get all the latest news flashes from the kids. That’s when their doings and musings from the day are still fresh and you can get all the details before they disappear behind the disappointing vagueness of: “How was your day?” “Fine.”

So if you want to hear what’s going on with your kids, don’t underestimate the possibilities of a commute.

Think of Paul on the road to Damascus, the Ethiopian eunuch on his chariot ride with Philip on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza, or the disciples on the road to Emmaus; good things can happen on the road!

Click to tweet:
I’m grateful for my time in the van with the kids. It’s an opportunity to listen and share, and I’m glad the kids are still eager to share. #CatholicMom

I’m grateful for my time in the van with the kids. It’s an opportunity to listen and share, and I’m glad the kids are still eager to share.

It’s funny how blessings sneak up at unexpected moments!

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