Up until a few days ago, the thought of my oldest daughter getting her drivers permit was an exciting thing. Teenage driver? Pshaw! She’s a smart, responsible girl. Learning to drive will be easy and the pay-off will be SO worth it.
There have been a lot of things during my 15 1/2 years as a mom that have terrified me before they happened….but have turned out to be nothing to worry about at all. I remember being scared to death of middle school, but ever since my kids started advancing to middle school, I’ve loved it. Middle school has been the place where each of my kids has blossomed and thrived. They’ve found their “place,” their niche, along with wonderful friends who share so much more than just a neighborhood in common. Middle school has been fabulous, and definitely nothing to be worried about.
Contrast that with my lack of fear about having a teen driver. My laid back perspective changed the first time I took her out on the road, around other cars.
The good, bad, and ugly about having a teenage driver:
Pro: In 9 months I could have an extra driver to run errands for me or to shuttle around her brothers and sisters.
Con: I’m going to have to share my car.
Pro: I can stay in the car and have HER pump gas for me.
Con: Beginning driver = high insurance rates!
Pro: She will have increased independence, including the ability to drive to her internship and job next year.
Con: Thinking of having a daughter old enough to drive, hold a job, and be a senior in high school next year freaks me out! I’m old. THere’s no escaping it now!
Pro: Driving privileges are a great motivator. I can get her to do anything to “earn” time driving.
Con: Those 60 hours of logged driving practice? I’ve got to be in the passenger seat for every single one of those. The passenger side does not have a break pedal. Taking a minivan out on public streets with your KID behind the wheel? It’s pretty terrifying.
Pro: She’s getting better, and pretty soon she’ll be a natural.
Con: I didn’t think about the commitment this was going to be on my part – of time, teaching moments, and emotionally draining situations.
Pro: We’re going to be spending a lot of time together for the next 9 months.
I think I’m just going to concentrate on that for now…
What parenting moment (future or past) terrifies you the most?
© 2012, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
I dread the day my kids become teenagers..can’t they stay babies forever??
Yikes! The thought of an accident scares me! My husband was quite a reckless teen, but luckily our oldest daughter is more level headed like her mom. ;) Hopefully she won’t go flipping any cars any time soon.
Haha! Hopefully he won’t bug you for the next 9 years straight! If he’s really desperate, take him to drive go-cart. We did that recently and the younger kids (and my new driver) had a blast!
Yeah, my two oldest girls are approaching dating age, so I know what you mean!! As far as the driving lessons go, my husband is more of the technical teacher, but I’m the more layed back parent, and my daughter has already expressed her preference for driving with me, because she feels so uptight when she drives with dad. lol Lucky me!
Seriously, the older my kids get the more I relate with my parents, maybe because I can remember back so clearly to when I was a teenager. :)
I know just what you mean!! I’ve got 3 daughters…and my oldest (yes, the one who’s driving) is just about dating age (we make them wait til after they’ve turned 16). Luckily, she’s not boy crazy. It’s my 13 year old that worries me on that level!
What is the timing like in Florida? Here, she had to wait until she was 15 and 9 months to get her permit, and now she has to wait 9 months beyond that to get her license, so she’ll be 16 1/2 before she can take her driving test. Gosh, by the time next June rolls around, she’ll be a driving pro. ;)
Still, as exciting a time as this is, I can’t help but grip the arm rests whenever she is driving! lol
I love this post. My 14 year old will be 15 in March. Driving is a big topic of conversation. It’s nice you’re a little ahead of me. I like your pros and cons. This time of their lives is so exciting…and ours, scary. ;)
Yikes!!! I cannot even imagine this. I don’t have kids, but I think your pro/con list sounds very accurate!
The parenting moment that terrifies me the most would have to be dating. And I have 2 girls! They’re only 7 and 2 right now, but still, I know it’s coming.
Honestly, this and my kids starting to date is what scares me the most. Thankfully my oldest is only 8 years old, so I have a few years to try to get comfortable with the idea…ha, yeah right. Comfortable with the idea? Does that ever happen?
I am thinking my husband will be doing the driving instruction. I’m just too scared to do it. I get all panicky and then they get tense and that’s not good for them when they need to be concentrating on the road. Yeah, I think I’ll have my husband do the teaching. :)
My son is 7, and he’s already asking if he can drive! LOL. Thankfully I still have a good 9 years to go!
My oldest is only 5 so I have a while, but man the thought scares me. Of course I totaled my car when I was 16. Driving too fast. I flipped the car into a ravine. Thankfully we walked away with no injury.