When we lived in DC, we parked our one and only car behind our brownstone in the tightest driveway imaginable. You had to pull in at the right angle EVERY time or you potentially could scrap the right side of the vehicle along the concrete retaining wall. Because we lived in "da hood" we also had a gate that had to be opened each time you pulled into the alley before we could park (and then that had to be manually closed as well each time). It was such a pain in the arse especially in bad weather but we were lucky to have purchased a home 11 blocks from the Capital WITH off street parking, so we got used to it. It became a habit to take off my seatbelt as I pulled behind our house so I could run out to open the fence.
We moved to Minnesota almost three years ago but my "driveway" mentality remained. We live within a mile of the city limits and thus our neighborhood layout is similar to those downtown. Houses face the street but access to mostly detached garages is around back in the alleyway. Everytime I pull off the street, I unconsciously release my seatbelt despite having a two car garage with an opener and no fence/gate to rush out to move.
Out of the blue earlier this month as I turned into our alley (and took off my seatbelt) a stern and reproachful voice from the backseat says "Mommy, you not take that off until you are in the garage and safe". I turned to look at him as the garage door lifted and stifled a laugh because he was right. I said "You are right Cole, I will keep my seatbelt on next time until the car has stopped in the garage". He nodded looking at me pleased. Of course, the next week and a half I kept forgetting and he kept reminding me with an increasing annoyance in his tone.
He has broken me of my "bad" habit for the most part, I have slipped a few times and I cringe as I realize that I have acted before thinking. Sure enough he notices and I swear I have heard him sigh as he points out my poor action. I only hope as he grows up that his concern for my seatbelt safety continues as well as for his own.
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