License and Registration, Please.

Uhhh!  I don't know how this started.  I have no idea when it started.  All I know is that it has become a fixation and it needs to stop before it gets even MORE embarrassing.

So, a while back we were driving in the car and Matthew asked, "Why haven't you changed your sticker?"  I looked at him in the rear view mirror and said, "What sticker?  What are you talking about?"  He said, "You know, your 2011 sticker, the one that is on your license plate."  What???  "Oh, that sticker.  Um, I'm not sure.  Probably when my registration is due."   Then the conversation started of him asking what is registration, why do you have to pay for it, how often do you have to pay, when do you get the sticker and why does it come in the mail.  You know, all necessary questions for a seven year old to know in order to get on with his day.  I thought we were done with it.  So not the case....

It seems like every car we pass, whether it is in the Target parking lot or while actually driving down the road, he is paying attention to EVERY ONE'S registration.  "That one is May, that one is January, that one isn't until December."  It's like driving with a cop, who is only working for the DMV. 

Then one day he asked, "Why do some people have different months?"  I told them that it depends on what month the car was bought and that is usually the month the registration is due.  I told him that every year during that month, people have to pay the Department of Motor Vehicles to "have permission" to drive their car. (Regardless if that is right...it's my story for him and I'm sticking to it)  Of course there was a lapse of about three minutes in the conversation with dead silence and then he said, "Well, so, if it's 2011 and their month has already passed and they still have a 2011 sticker...what does that mean?"  Well crap...  "Um, it usually means that maybe they just forgot to put their sticker on or maybe they haven't paid the DMV yet and that's why they don't have their sticker."  Dead silence.... Then he says, "Well, what happens if the police see that they don't have the sticker?"  I say, "Well, maybe the police just ask them if they haven't put their sticker on yet.  If they don't have it to put on, then sometimes the police give them a ticket."  Out of nowhere, Ryan chimes in, "HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN A TICKET????"  I assure him that I haven't and the conversation is over.

In all of this education of the laws of registration, never in my wildest imagination did I think the kid would remember any of it.  Which is my own fault, because as he always says, "I've got the best brain in the family for memory."  Which, he's kind of right....my memory sucks!!  Unless we are talking mindless TV and movie trivia, then I'm your girl!!! 

Here's where it has backfired. 

About a week ago we are getting out of my car at school.  Walking in, passing all the cars in the parking lot as we do every morning, when it happens.  "Mom!!!  Look, *^$&%#$ (name omitted due to confidentiality) has a 2011 sticker and their month is March!  MARCH MOM!  I need to tell them that they need to pay their registration so they won't get in trouble.  I'm going to go find them now."  Me (screaming) "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"  He doesn't get it.  I wait until we are in my classroom to explain to him that it is not our business, I am sure there is a perfectly good explanation as to why they haven't put their sticker on and I remind him again to stay out of it!!

It's September.  My registration month is October.  The boy has been asking DAILY about when am I going to get my sticker because it is almost October and he.....can't.....stand.....it!!!!!!  Finally, it came.  Rich came home the other day, walked through the door holding the mail and told Matt the good news....my registration was finally here.  Every night he asks...."When Dad?  When can we put it on???"  Believe me, his brain will function well again when that sticker is finally put on.  Saturday morning a time has been set for the sticking of the sticker and all will be good again in Matthew's world.

Welcome to the insight of the Marini Family.....We can't make this sh*% up!