My five-year-old is sitting next to me on the couch, curled up with his head on my shoulder. It’s early, and we’re both still sleepy. But clutched in his hands is a Hot Wheels monster truck. Because, if you’re Joshua, it’s never too early for Hot Wheels.
Since he’s turned five, Joshua has developed an intense interest in and love for cars. He comes by it honestly, since my husband works on cars for a living and also loves cars. As a matter of fact I can blame hubby for this little obsession, since it started when he and Joshua began playing racing video games together as a reward for Joshua. He loved identifying all the different cars in the game, and now, unfortunately, he loves identifying all the cars on the road we see when we’re driving.
Very loudly. And with much excitement.
“Mommy LOOKLOOKLOOK there’s a Chevy MALIBU!” I hear as I’m navigating the roads of our fair city. (Yes, he gets excited over even the most mundane of cars.)
“Mustang!!”
“HONDA CIVIC!”
“A Lexus! A Lexus!”
He gets very upset when I don’t see the cars also. My explanation that I need to keep my eyes on the road isn’t good enough. And at times when his exasperation at me borders on rudeness, I want to flipping put a blindfold and a muzzle on the kid for car rides! The constant dialogue of every car Joshua can see while we are driving down the road is making me NUTSO. A couple of months ago when Bobby and I drove to Chicago sans kiddos, I demanded that he remain mum about the other cars on the road. “I don’t care if you see a ’79 Trans Am,” I said, “Not a word.”
I miss the times when the kids just listened to music and sang and Joshua pointed out the odd airplane or helicopter he saw in the sky.
‘Cause really, I cannot get myself all worked up about a 1998 Chevy Cavalier.
But my son can. And if you drive ANY year of Mustang, you are a superhero to him. So congrats on that. You are much cooler than the impatient, carsick woman who chauffeurs Joshua the car officianado around town.
My 3yo is very into words right now. So, when we are driving around he is saying “what does that say?”
Ummm I don’t know I am driving, I can’t even see where he is pointing. He gets very mad. LOL
Ugh, boys! I have three of them, currently 13, 5 and 2. When my oldest was about 3, he had to have me notice and discuss every construction truck imaginable. I called them all “diggers” and was corrected everytime. Luckily, after 10 years of this he has come to realize that Mom sees cars like this: “There is a red one. There is a blue one.” That is as detailed as I like to get about it.
Now he is going nuts over all the tricked out cars he sees and goes on and on about whether he would get that one or this one or how he is going to buy a Corvette when he is an adult. Luckily, I can point out his most recent report card as proof that he has a way to go before he will be earning that kind of cash :>)
My girls play the “dumbed down” version of Joshua’s I SPY CARS game. And, like you, it has become out of hand. It’s played like this:
Yellow car = shouting BINGO very loudly
motorcycle = VROOM VROOM very loudly
mustang = neighing like a horse very loudly
And, if you’re really lucky, you’ll see a YELLOW MUSTANG which is a twofer!
We also call out slug bugs, pt cruisers, and wood chucks (cars and/or vans with wood paneling on the side).
I found a trick, though. I call every single car I can rapidly when we start driving, and amazingly, neither one of the girls care to play when their mom is on fire! woot!
My oldest son was like that when he was a little younger. Now he has more discerning taste and only points out the cool cars. I’m sure my younger son will probably do that too, he already loves playing with hot wheels, he just can’t talk yet.
It’s genetic. Mother (Grandma Brads 2 U) says that I would stand up on the front seat of the car (it was the 50s, no one cared about carseats or seatbelts) and tell her what kind of car was coming toward us AT NIGHT by the shape of the headlights. I love cars, most of them, would have several if I could get away with it. Most cars have a personality. (Yes, I’m serious!) My fave, a 1959 Buick Electra 225 Convertible. And the back end of a 54 Chevy reminds me of my Mother’s smile! Oh yes, Cars is my favorite movie and I’m pumped that Cars II will be out in 2012. Just in time for the big 60…maybe I’ll get that Electra by then!!!
LOL! I can relate. At almost 3, my son plays with almost nothing except toys that have wheels. And he’s starting to notice cars. If a hot sports car is near us on the road, he will point it out. I’m so impressed your son knows so many makes and models! I couldn’t have told you a Chevy from a Ford until I was driving age myself!
OMG, here too! My husband swears the gearhead thing must be in the genes. We didn’t even WANT Aiden to be into cars, but he is. It’s his favorite thing to play with…his favorite movie….UGH. So naturally my in-laws (who obviously nurtured the car thing in my husband, and who have two classic cars of their own)…they supply us with all manner of car and hot rod crap for Aiden. Even his own subscription to Super Chevy. Please, tell me what a 2.5 year old needs with Super Chevy?! Oh, and BTW…my husband has a 70 Chevy Malibu and his dad has a 72. So you better keep your son away! 🙂
Let’s just pray they don’t end up at NADC together, shall we?
Hi All
I have grandson who will be 2 1/2 next month… his Dad is a porter at a local dealership so he does have a slight interest just because of Dads job. Anyway I had him with me in my car the other day and we were in a parking lot and he bacame very excited and started talking loudly.. Gramma, look at the yellow car.. Gramma look, see the yellow car. No make or model but the fact that it was yellow and it was a car.. and not a “school bus” is what caught his eye. He has been very much obsessed with School bus’s since he could talk or verbalize his interests.. so I think that a yellow “car”is what really caught his attention..
my quote: If I knew Grandchildren were so much fun, I would of had them first 🙂