Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Though it was a delayed start with hiccups and dustings here and there, the snow has finally returned to Cleveland. In the Heights, one of the struggles of morning routines usually involves dusting off vehicles, cleaning driveways, driving kids to school, driving to work. Unfortunately, no matter the reason for the rush, all behind the wheel must remember that we are not driving on the winter roadways of Florida.
As we gear up for another winter season (not too elongated, I hope), please shift down into a slower moving process while navigating elementary, middle school and high school parking lots. Not only are there scores of students being dropped off at school, Heights also has numerous walkers. Taking a moment to think about the far reaching implications of an short term, split second decision can mitigate the near misses and close calls that are a hallmark of arrival and dismissal times.
While delays and obstructions may be more easily managed in good weather, icy conditions only exacerbate road rage and provide a more narrow margin of error. Our school parking lots may be a source of frustration and disorder, but that excuse won’t hold water once a student is injured. I do not believe it is anyone’s conscious intent to cause harm to a student or parent, but bearing the responsibility of hitting someone is never about intent. Once someone’s child, mother or father is laying on the ground writhing in pain, one will be quick to forget the reason for the mad dash in the first place.
I am not writing anything that isn’t known to parents so I hope this serves as a friendly reminder to be considerate of others as well as yourself around our schools. How many of us could stand being considered the cause for injury to someone’s child?
Thanks for the reminder. And, what a remarkably gorgeous photo.
Thank you. I added a little color saturation to give it a holiday card look.