STOP.............Police Check point ahead!

I had even read about this in the paper so I shouldn't have been surprised but I was. Julia and I were out and about running errands and on the way home and we came up to a little police checkpoint. They were just trying to stop and check people to see if they were intoxicated etc. and if they were going to go up the canyon. In the past there have been alcohol related accidents over the holidays and the police just didn't want it to happen again; thus the police checkpoint on our way home.

I asked Julia to be quiet because the police officer was going to ask me some questions. So I pulled up and he asked where I was headed, where home was,  and to be safe, blah, blah, blah. But what was interesting was the conversation that took place on our way home.

Julia asked why we had to stop for and why the police were asking us questions. I told her that the police wanted us to be safe and the concept of "being drunk" came up. I thought how do I explain that one? I just told her that some things you drink like beer and wine cause us to be silly and make bad decisions. I told her that beer and wine had what they call alcohol in them and thats what causes us to sometimes do bad things. And Julia kept asking do we drink alcohol and I kept saying no. Heavenly Father and Jesus said it was really bad for our bodies and to NEVER drink it. She accepted that explanation. Whew....a little easier than I thought. It was so sudden that I just didn't think it would come out the right way or it would be easy enough for Julia to understand, but she can process things better than I give her credit for.

We got home and Julia told Layne that the police made us stop and asked us questions. She said that we don't drink alcohol and then Layne told her that if we do drink it that we could go to jail or that we could get in accidents and hurt ourself or others. It was pretty intense for her because she kept saying all last night, "Mom, we don't drink alcohol." And even today she mentioned it a few times. I guess it sunk in for her. It was an intersting conversation, one of many to come. But it felt good to be able to talk with her and have her understand the concept.