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6-year-old boy gets hungry, tries to drive himself to Applebees

Filed under: Big Kids, Relatives, Development/Milestones: Babies

This story reminds me of something that happened to me as a child. I was playing in my mother's car with my best friend Karen. We were just messing around, not actually trying to go anywhere, when I accidentally hit the gearshift, putting the big blue Buick in neutral. The car rolled down the driveway, across the street and into the neighbor's yard, slamming into a tree. Along the way, Karen jumped out and ran away, leaving me alone in the runaway car. I was probably about seven years old when this happened and was lucky that the only damage was a dislocated tree and a dented bumper.

When a 6-year-old boy in Broomfield, Colorado got into his grandmother's car, he actually had the keys and a destination in mind: he was hungry and heading to Applebees. He got his booster seat from the back seat, placed it in the driver's seat and started her up.

His trip down the driveway went pretty well, but then he crossed the street, jumped the curb and ran into a transformer and communication box, knocking out power and phone service to dozens of homes. Nobody was hurt and no charges have been filed.

This kid is lucky. Not only did he escape without injuring himself or someone else, his neighbors were a lot more understanding than mine. "I have five children of my own, so I know you cannot watch them every minute they're awake," said Nancy Hollis, whose lost power after the accident.

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AdviceMama Says:
Start by teaching him that it is safe to do so.