In the car, I really enjoy listening to the radio with my three boys. Then, if a song that strikes me as funny in that moment comes on the radio, I’ll pick apart the lyrics by taking them too seriously.

One of my favorite examples is this line from “Somebody Told Me” by The Killers…

“Well, somebody told me you had a boyfriend

Who looked like a girlfriend

That I had in February of last year…”

Try and walk that one backwards with the kids. You have a whole ten minutes of conversation right there.

This morning, I was driving my boys to school and Tom Petty came on the radio singing, “Waiting is the hardest part.” In all seriousness, I glanced in the rearview mirror and asked them, “So, do you think that waiting is the hardest part?”  Without hesitation, our son who displays tendencies of high anxiety passionately answered, “Oh, yes.”

Know your audience, dad. Knowing my audience, that may be the hardest part for me.