Friday, August 10, 2007

Directionally Challenged

A scene from a coffee shop:

I was behind woman with two small children in line at a local coffee shop. She bought her coffee and donuts and wandered over to the convenience store register (all in the same building) to make a quick purchase there. The three of them approach the exit door at the same time that I do, I motion for them to proceed ahead of me, and the mom says "Thank You"

She walks out the door with her two little ones close behind. She looks back at her children, and see that they are unsure which way it is to get to the vehicle. She points to their right, saying, "The car is there on the left." I giggled to myself, realizing that the kids will now think that the direction to their right is called the left.

I wonder if I should have interjected? Sometimes I hear people making comments that kids today lack motivation and education. Sounds like these poor kids are already going to start out with the obstacle of being directionally challenged. I know that many of us as adults might have difficulty distinguishing left from right. I wonder if any have this impairment due to their parents?