I took my kids to the Indoor Go Kart and Laser Tag place for one of our final summer fun days.  I’ve never done either (except of course for the Grand Prix track at Disney; but they have a “guide” in the middle of the lane, so you can’t really falter).  Our heat was up and my youngest leans over and says, “Mom, not to remind you about getting old, but this will be good training for my brother to get his driver’s license.”   (OMG! Really?  his brother is 10, mind you!)  We gear up – head sock, helmet, foam collar for the boys – and our engines are started.  ZOOOOOOM…. these little carts go a heckuva lot faster than I thought they would.  Up to 30 mph and they are off, screeching around corners, running into the occasional tire-covered pylon… ZOOOM!!

I lap them (a couple of times) and as I watch the sheer joy on their faces (when I can catch a glimpse of them), I realize they don’t know how to use their brakes!  Is there a life lesson there, or what?!?  At what age do we learn to use (the proverbial) brakes?  To slow down and see what’s in front of us?  To take time to reflect before – ZOOOOOOM?!?

And, in case you’re wondering,  Laser Tag was a fun challenge!  I had to threaten my oldest with grounding if he didn’t let me escape and stop shooting me.  My youngest, the Halo king, wiped us all out and, of course, had the highest score.