If you’ve been around here for awhile, you may recall this story. But just in case, I’ll give you a quick refresher. When Big was 4 years old, he loved the Lady Antebellum song, Need You Now — from the first moment he heard it on the radio. Strange, but true. Back then, after listening to it over and over, he asked me, “Mommy, what does ‘drunk’ mean?” In a panicked-but-appearing-to-remain-calm way, I quickly answered, “Tired.”
Back then, I wrote that I’d better start thinking about my “real” answer because it was sure to come up again at some point. And hopefully not because he decided to tell his teachers he was too drunk to get his work (or play) done.
Well, that word finally came back a couple weeks ago — almost four years later. This boy is still an observant sponge, and now he’s an observant sponge who can read. So, he pointed out the “Report Drunk Drivers” sign along the freeway and asked about it.
“What’s a drunk driver?”
This time, I was ready. And very honest.
“You know how sometimes grown ups have drinks that kids aren’t allowed to have? Like wine and beer? Well, those drinks can make grown ups drive unsafely, so you’re not supposed to drink them and then drive. It’s dangerous. So the signs are telling people that if they see someone driving who looks like they’re making bad choices, you should call the police.”
That was good enough, I guess, because he just nodded. There were no follow-up questions. But I know that doesn’t mean he’s not listening and watching.
So, this past weekend, when we were gearing up for a big night out, I knew that I had to think about more than what I was wearing. (Though that was no small feat given yoga pants are not considered formal wear by most members of our community.) I also had to think about how we’d get home safely from the school auction where there was an open bar.
Of course, I didn’t discuss the open bar with Big. Or even the fact that we might not be able to safely — or legally — drive home at the end of the night. I just wanted to make a responsible choice in the hopes that he’d see us leading my example and doing the right thing.
For the past year or so, our go-to designated driver has come to us through one of our must-have apps, Uber. Uber is a simple way to find sedans or SUVs in your area that are available for hire. You simply open the app, and you immediately see vehicles-for-hire, and how long it will take them to drive to where you are. We love being able to pack in as many friends as possible, so we usually get an SUV and split the fare or take turns paying. (In fact, you can even split the fare using the app.)
On Saturday, we requested a driver through the Uber app — whose personal photo and rating appeared — and tracked the vehicle on the map on my iPhone as he headed our way, so we could finish getting ready. In my (outrageously unorganized) case, I hunted down a necklace I couldn’t find, and scribbled a few notes for the babysitter until the moment the alert came in that the driver had arrived. (Though the boys were a bit louder with their personalized alert system in the front yard.)
Just as Pink hit full-blown meltdown mode, we hopped into the plush leather seats and drove to pick up more friends. Lenny, as he usually does, chatted up the driver, and I thanked my lucky stars that I didn’t need cash for our ride, because I had to hold on to the little I had to pay the sitter who was quite obviously earning every penny. (Yes, my favorite part of Uber is that it stores your credit card, so you don’t need cash. And no tip is required, so you just hop out when you arrive…no math necessary!)
Our driver back-roaded his way through town, and got us to the other side safely and smoothly — no white knuckling.
Yes, we Ubered out. We Ubered home. And we may have indulged a bit in between (in cupcakes, at least). Heck, we don’t get out much, so we have to make the most of the nights we do.
It’s obvious that I love Uber, but why should you? Well, because you’ll get $25 off your first ride by inputing the promo code: UsingOurWords. That’s right, the lovely people at Uber have created a special code just for you guys — as long as you’re setting up a new account. And if you’re already an Uber rider, they’ve got something up their sleeve for you too. Use the code PlayNice30 for a chance to win $30 off of your next ride.
So get planning. Mom’s night out, Mom and Dad’s night out, Mom’s going all the way to the airport for a few nights out… You name it! And the good news is, Uber is available in 35 countries, so you’re bound to find a driver in your area.
When you’re signing up, don’t forget to input “UsingOurWords” in the promo code section, or you can click here to have the code auto-populated for you.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Uber — an on-demand car service app that brings a driver to you at the click of a button. Rides are billed directly to your credit card so there’s no need to carry cash. Plus, your receipt is automatically emailed to you at the end of your ride. All opinions are my own.
Use Your Words