Discussing Car Accidents with Kids

I speak openly to my 6 year old and 2 1/2 year old about the power that we humans yield when behind a steering wheel. I often will say, look there goes someone who thinks they are in a big hurry.

But really they are not, will say my 6 year old.

Yep. They'd feel terrible if they hit someone and hurt them, I say back.

I believe humans are, for the most part, good.

When I walk my child to school and people, often moms, barrel by us in their vehicles I joke with my oldest, another mom in a minivan driving too fast.

I am planting a seed, I guess. It is important to me, just as football is to some people. Or the Red Sox is to my husband.

Yesterday my 2 1/2 year old stared at a badly wrecked car. Can they fix it he asked?

No, I said.

Who crashed it, he asked.

I didn't have that answer of course. He stared at the crunched metal and I stared at the back of his sweet head, again struck by the thought of all of us just zooming along, some at 80 MPH, others distracted, others just angry, some trying the best they can on poorly designed roads.

My goal is not too scare them but to inform them of the tremendous responsibility that will be passed on to them one day.

Honoring Conor Lynch: LA Run Tomorrow

Twitter and social networking really can be an amazing thing. I just happened upon an event that will take place tomorrow in honor of a young boy named Conor Lynch. Here is  a bit about Conor via the the website.

On October 19, 2010, while training with his high school cross country team, Conor Lynch was killed by a distracted, unlicensed, hit-and-run driver. He was 16 years old. The woman who killed him was 18 years old. Coincidentally, this tragedy occurred during National Teen Safe Driving Week.

Born August 19, 1994 in Los Angeles, Conor was the eldest son of Mark Lynch, partner of Cypress LLP in Los Angeles and Jeri Dye Lynch, CEO and President of Pinecrest Schools, a chain of private schools in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Conor attended Pinecrest Schools Van Nuys from 18 months to 8th grade, and was a junior at Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks at the time of his passing. He is remembered by teachers and classmates as an excellent student, team player and friend. In summers past he had been a camp counselor, lifeguard and swim instructor for Pinecrest Schools where the younger children fondly remember him as “Coach Conor”. He also worked at the Sherman Oaks Little League snack bar, which has been renamed in his honor. He enjoyed working with children who looked up to him as a role model and “big brother.”

You can read more about him on the Conor Lynch site.

The Conor Lynch Foundation was formed and here is its mission statement:  The Conor Lynch Foundation has been established to support new and existing programs that raise awareness and promote the safety of runners, pedestrians, cyclists and young drivers. Your contribution, and events such as safety fairs and the annual 5K Run/Walk “In Honor Of Conor” directly benefit this foundation, and work to ensure that no family suffers a loss like this again.

Here is the amazing, moving, PSA the Conor Lynch Foundation made. Show it to your kids. Or your friends, really we live in such a distracted world.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aghHS1lC4rw]

Well if you are swallowing back a lump in your throat like me this morning reading this and live close enough head on down to a run tomorrow in honor of Conor and this foundation. There will be a 5K run/walk in Sherman Oaks starting at 8:30. You can register here.