I'm a bad mom. Need a manual.

[shortbun]

My son got his permit this week after a few weeks delay for various things. He was anxious about waiting and really excited to pass the test and get the thing. SO-I thought he'd be equally excited about driving, right? He was hesistant, said, 'I'll do it tomorrow.' I said, naw, we'll get started today. So, I put him behind the wheel in our litlle neighborhood, have him adjust the seat and the mirrors, give him instructions on the dash buttons, turn signals and windshield wipers, lights, etc. Should have stopped there. Instead, I put him on the road and he starts driving. As we get to the end of our street and are approaching a stop sign, my very sober child starts giggling and laughing 'I can't stop laughing, help me!' Did I take his que and take him home? Nope, still dumb. We drove for another 15 minutes making turns and just slowly driving in our very quiet little neighborhood. It ruined his whole day. He came home and went to bed and to sleep. When I awoke him at 5pm, he was surly and would not speak to me. He was still suffering from the stress. I apologized and left the house to go to his friend's softball game. About halfway through the game, he walked up to me and said with a grin,'I drove here.' Luckily, he was kidding and this was his way of letting me know he was ok. He actually hugged me when I came in after my late meeting and today, we practiced driving again. This time for about half the time as yesterday and we did some deep breathing before and after. LOL! I need a manual. All my friends laughed at me when I told them I had him driving, on the road for twenty minutes, right away. Some of their children have had their permits for a few weeks and still have not left the nearby high school's parking lot. Oh well. He did MUCH better today. That which does not kill you only makes you stronger. Little Big Man

 

[IdesOmarch]

Gotta practice if he's ever going to get good at it. I still remember the first time I drove on the highway by myself when I was 16.

 

[Uncle Remus]

When mine got his permit, I drove us up to the service road of the new expressway not far from our house. I parked 'n told him we were changin' seats, he got that look on his face, yes, like this:

After we took our li'l drive in the family van, he asked if he could do it again in my li'l 2 seater sportscar, I got that look on my face, yes, this one:

Fifteen years later, we're both still alive, but he still isn't allowed to drive my car.

 

[themermaidgirl]

As a kid, you look at your parents driving and you think "gosh this is so easy!"
It doesn't hit you until you're behind the wheel for the first time how intimidating it is!

Driving with my dad the first time around our neighbourhood at 14 (I had my learner's permit - it was legal), I was perfectly fine. I think the only time I freaked out was when he wanted to go to the grocery store and I drove on the highway for the first time, but I parked perfectly in the parking lot and got out no problem! But I did internalise my worry, constant OMGOMGOMGOMG running through my head!

 

[Becky2005]

Was he familiar with the car at all first? My oldest pretty much is my guinea pig! Poor thing! She has had her permit since last September!!! It is taking us FOREVER to get the 50 hours required. She still needs 3 more night hours and then about 8 more day hours.

Luckily, Grandma comes over just about every Sunday and they go driving.

Part of our problem is my DD had back surgery so can't turn around normal and being short has a hard time seeing out the back of the minivan. Freaks me out that she sits 2 inches from the steering wheel (if that airbag deploys she's dead as it's not a 2nd generation one), etc....

HOWEVER, IF I had been smart -- I would have been taking her out to the local parking lot before she even had her permit just to get her used to where all the controls are, how much force you need to push on the gas pedal to make it go, how much force for the brake pedal as each car is completely different. She has nicknamed the van "Dino" since to her it feels like you practically have to press the gas pedal to the floor just to get it to go vs. my mom's car where you barely touch it and it zooms off.

The other thing I would have done is just gone ahead and gotten her a state ID card while we were there. She's 17 and I couldn't figure out why she all of a sudden got admant about it where before she was like "whatever" -- it's because she wants an ID to get into rated R movies since no one will believe she is 17.

So, now I know for my 14 year old...he will be getting the driving around the parking lot much earlier and also he's taller so the turning/seeing out the back won't be an issue for him but he is a much more cautious child (DD loves to go fast so that's scary & she has her dad's stopping skills with me asking "are you going to stop????" Of course, I do that to DH too and pretty much do it to everyone!).

 

[bdcp]

DH and I couldn't wait to drive at 16 and are puzzled by a lot of young drivers today. Our boys were closer to 17, but they were both excited to drive. Yet, I've met people whose kids are terrified and I don't get it. I still love to drive.

Our boys never got behind the wheel until they were almost 16 and got their learner's permit. I never, ever drove til I got behind the wheel in HS at age 16. First time I ever drove I got on the DC beltway in MD with the HS football coach who taught drivers ed. Of course that was 1976, but it was so cool to be driving. I'm only nervous and intimidated when someone else is driving. Yes, I have control issues.

 

[PigletsPal2]

It took DD#1 two tries to get her license, but the week after she got it, she and a friend drove cross country to go to school on the west coast. She's an excellent driver (if a little fast for me).

DD#2, on the other hand, went through SIX learner's permits before she even took her regular test! They expired before she felt comfortable taking the test. She, too, is an excellent driver, and takes frequent road trips all by herself.

Queen Colleen

 

[Katy Belle]

i want a manual too! DS gets his permit next week. He has driven a fair amount in very rural places. Im nervous about us on the city streets! I know he will be fine, but it seems to be a big deal. Sounds like your DS is fine!

 

[Handbag Lady]

DH and I couldn't wait to drive at 16 and are puzzled by a lot of young drivers today. Our boys were closer to 17, but they were both excited to drive. Yet, I've met people whose kids are terrified and I don't get it. I still love to drive.

Our boys never got behind the wheel until they were almost 16 and got their learner's permit. I never, ever drove til I got behind the wheel in HS at age 16. First time I ever drove I got on the DC beltway in MD with the HS football coach who taught drivers ed. Of course that was 1976, but it was so cool to be driving. I'm only nervous and intimidated when someone else is driving. Yes, I have control issues.

This is so me. My parents did a lot of off-roading so I was very comfortable behind the wheel of pretty much everything. I bought my first car at 15 1/2 and drove it that day. (You got your permit at 15 1/2 on the day back then.)

I prefer to do the driving even today and back then, you couldn't get me out of my Jeep.

 

[mamacatnv]

The day I got my permit I begged my Dad to let me drive.......It was a 5speed manual and I was afraid to stop, I thought it would stall, the light was red and I totally panicked. Dad talked me thru it then took me to a parking lot.

When DS got his permit, the first place we went was to a large parking lot where he got to know the vehicle a little bit with no worries of hitting something. I had him speed up, slow down, stop suddenly, turn quickly etc so that he got a feel for how my car responded. Then we hit the side streets to drive home.

He got his license almost 2 years later, he was very well prepared. We had him drive everywhere that we could during that time.