A Mom's Legacy

People wonder how to get kids interested in old cars. Like everything else related to kids, it starts with the parents. If mom or dad or both of them don't take a kid to see old cars, then he or she will never develop an interest in them.

When I was kid, my mom did a lot to encourage my interest. She bought me toy cars made of plastic or rubber or tin. She took me to parades that had old cars in them. And every Wednesday, she drove me around the city we lived in to see all the old cars we had spotted. In those days, many 1930s cars were still in daily use and parked on the street. Others could be seen in driveways and open garages. Mom and I knew the whereabouts of about 28 prewar cars and every Wednesday she drove me around to look at them.

We haven't done that in years, but we still laughed about it. Now we can't do that anymore. Mom left us early this morning. But I hope that her example will be followed. Yes, I hope that those silly Wednesdays she put in with me will inspire some parents of today to spend time fostering their kids' interest in old cars. This is a great hobby. Mom knew that. Now, it is your turn to show a new generation of young hobbyists how great it really is.