The Wisdom of Children

Several states have adopted laws enforcing "hands free" phone technology for drivers with the intent that it will make cell phone use while driving a car less hazardous. My own children have shown me how absurd this is. Let me give you an example of what happens in my house when I take a phone call. And mind you, I'm not driving a car. I'm just making lunch.

(phone rings)

Hello. Oh, Hi mom! Kids, Grandma is on the phone, could you please stop doing the Tarzan yell for just a minuet? Sorry about that, mom...

What was that, mom? I apologize, but I couldn't hear you over the crash of the lamp hitting the floor.

You'll have to repeat that last thing you said, your grandson just picked his sister up by her ankles and is trying to put her in the trash can.

At this point, I usually excuse myself from the phone and have a quick little talk with my children about respecting the person on the other end of the phone and that they need to be quiet while mommy is talking.

Back to the phone call:

I'm so sorry about that, but you know how kids are when you get on the phone (laugh). Anyway, you were saying...?

And as I continue in my grown-up adult conversation for a few minuets in beautiful silence, I am blissfully unaware that my kids have gone to the living room. I don't know how many of you have had that awful sick-to-your-stomach sinking feeling that it has been way too quiet for way too long, but this is definitely one of those times for me.

I run around the corner to the living room (the only real "adult conversation" area in our home, complete with antique piano and off white sofa that we purchased before we had kids) and there I behold the mayhem that has taken place while I was on the phone with the grandmother of my sweet children. What a blessing for them that I spend a lot of time in prayer asking God for wisdom in raising them to fear God and not me.

I've gotta go, mom. Please pray for my sanity and that I don't make the six o'clock news with what I want to do to myself or your grandkids.

This is some of what was on the floor:
-all the cushions, pillows, blankets and books that had been on something else
-all the Kleenex from a brand new box
-all the Spanish moss from my silk bamboo along with most of the leaves from the bottom third of the tree
-the baby's diaper that she decided needed to be changed ("change you di-po" is currently her favorite sentence)

I think my kids are genius children, however I think that they have capitalized on something rather obvious. After all, they are 2 and 3-years-old, but they know the benefit of my inability to comprehend what is going on right in the other room if I'm on the phone.

There are documented psychological studies that prove brain function actually slows down while talking on a cell phone, even with a hands free devise. You can read this as one example.

So why have some states gone ahead and made it ok to use a cell phone as long as you aren't holding it? I mean, come on, if my two-year-old has enough sense to know that she can get away with murder when mommy is on the phone (and I'm not even driving a car!), why can't all lawmakers see that driving while talking on the phone might not be a good idea regardless of where your hands are?

I found this info from cellular-news with the current list of requirements for countries and states for cell phone use while driving. Take Massachusetts, for example. They have a partial ban where drivers are required to keep at least one hand on the steering wheel while holding a phone. What?! When I was in driving school I was told I shouldn't take my hands off the 10 and 2 positions to change the radio station! And don't get me started on the ban in seven states for school bus drivers using a cell phone... they had to make that a law?

If you're still reading this and you're waiting for my opinion (just in case you haven't already figured it out), here it is...

Stop driving and talking on the phone at the same time!