Which Child Rides Shotgun in Your Family?
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Anonymous
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We have two boys, ages 16 and 13. Older DS started riding in the front seat of the car at age 13 when one parent was driving all the kids. Second son just turned 13 a few days ago and the arguments immediately started as to who should sit in the front. Our 16-year-old insists that it is undeniably the "majority rule" in our area that the oldest child continues to ride in the front, due to "seniority" and as compensation for the fact that the older child eventually will be asked to drive the younger one places. 13-year-old argues his brother has already sat in the front seat for three years and thinks that at the least, they should take turns. Yes, this is a very trivial and "if that is all you have to be worried about...." type of issue, but it has been surprising how emotional our boys are about it. (What am I missing? -- I don't recall any arguments with my older sibling over this... Is it now terribly embarrassing for teenagers to have to ride in the back seat? Is this a boy/hierarchy thing? Is our family the only ones with this disagreement and it is just an indication of our boys' lack of maturity and self-absorption?)
What is the "majority rule" for this question? Thanks! |
Anonymous
| lol, my brother and I fought bitterly over this our entire childhood. We did every other time. |
Anonymous
| They take turns. |
Anonymous
| We rotate. When they fight over it, they both ride in the back seat. |
Anonymous
| 16 year old rides in the front. 13 year old rides in the back. Seriously, the kid is in high school, and probably having sex, let his ass ride shot gun. |
Anonymous
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Our kids are also three years apart. One week is her week to ride in front, one week is his week to ride in front. If you're sick during your week and don't go anywhere, too bad. If you're on a trip during your week, too bad. If you argue about it, we'll make you BOTH sit in back for a month.
We shut that shit down. I don't want to hear arguing over ridiculous things. |
Anonymous
The logic here is......sophomoric. |
Anonymous
| Do Rock Paper Scissors each time. They have to do it once, right in front of you. First winner gets shotgun. |
Anonymous
| Take turns by the week. |
Anonymous
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My kids aren't at this age just yet, but I've also heard of odd days/even days being a good divider (assuming there are only 2 kids fighting).
My younger brother and I never had this issue growing up because for whatever reason, it was one of the things he just did not care about. I was older and so I got first dibs on shotgun and that was that. We fought plenty about other things, but oddly never about that. |
Anonymous
Says the entitled oldest child. They should take turns. |
Anonymous
| We rotated by month. Surprisingly, it kept the peace. |
Anonymous
| Let them fight. To the victor the spoils. |
Anonymous
Whoever yells 'shotgun' first gets it. Some shoving and sprinting to the car ensues. Parents stay uninvolved other than occasional threats that everyone will have to sit in the back. Isn't this how it's done in all families? 
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Anonymous
+1 |