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Have You Taught A Teen How To Drive Lately? Well I Have!Aug 12 '02 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Teaching your teen how to drive can be fun and dangerous. Do so with great caution and common sense.
Please Note: The first few paragraphs are taken from an older review I did on raising teenagers. I wanted to add it in this review because my opinion has not changed on these things. When teaching my children how to drive these are some of the things I have done and still are doing and will do once again when the boys get the correct age. I hope that you find this to be true to heart, funny along the way, and to know that these are our children, they do say what they hear and they do what they see. Remember that! I remember my oldest being born just like it was yesterday. My, how time flies when you’re having fun. I thought that being a mother was a piece of cake. Boy was I wrong! The first year was wonderful for the most part. She cried all the time, and I wanted to give her back most of that time and I had no idea what to do with her! I kept looking for those instructions on "how to raise a child," but never found them. And we have all looked for them. I found out as with most new parents that this job was not going to be easy one bit. And I found out the hard way! Lol! Then came the first birthday and I cried my eyes out. My little girl was growing and fast. Then came the terrible two's, frustrating three's, irritating four's and the questioning five's, and sixes. And I still couldn't find those instructions. As each year went by, and they went by fast, I had to learn the hard way as with any other parent in the world how to take care of this child. From day one this tiny little person had depended on me and I wasn’t going to let her down. I had to figure things out one step at a time and one day at a time. I woke up one day and this baby girl, whom I love so very much, whom I had given a lifetime to, was now a TEENAGER! And I thought, "finally a piece of cake." Boy was I wrong once again. Well, now this child wanted to learn to drive. I thought “Piece of cake”, wrong again!!! And in this new position you have now found yourself in you think “Oh Lord, you got to be kidding me!” “Is this a punishment Lord?” And that mentality that all teenagers have, you know the one, they know everything there is to know and should write a book about it! Yeah, that’s the one all right! Okay step one is to physic you up for this new task in life. You must be mentally prepared. Then you need to find a safe, far away place, where no one else is around and just let them get behind the wheel and see what happens. One thing is for sure kids do pay attention to what you do. I found that my teenager, the oldest one and now my next in line, have paid attention very well to my driving techniques. They have paid attention in how to crank the car, put the car into gear, the foot on the gas pedal, on clutch, the brake. And of course these are good things in life but they can also be bad. Especially when they are little and try to do the driving. A lesson to learn right away is don’t leave the keys in the car. Not just for stopping crooks, but stopping your small children from taking off with the family car. One thing that I have done with my children through the years is play the “Road Sign Game” where I would point out road signs and they would guess them. If they were wrong I would correct them. So these things they knew as well. I have also taught them how to go around curves and parking techniques over the years. You will find that your children do actually know these things very well when it comes their time to drive. Even when you park tell your children how to do it. How to back up properly, not to hit the brakes hard, and how not to PANIC in any situation! Think about it, if you stay calm they will stay calm and this lesson in life they will take with them. Each State law runs slightly different than the other (as well as in other countries, the laws slightly vary.) But mostly they are the same wherever you go. Speeding is a big NO, NO and your child must learn that it is costly when caught. And there is a correct way to pass and an incorrect way to pass. For instance, here you don’t pass when the solid white line is to your right in the center of the road. You don’t pass on curves or on hills unless indicated to do so. We drive on the right side of the road and steer on the left side of the car, which I think we all know that. But in other countries it's the opposite. As my children grew up they asked questions about driving because they had a plan all along. I think all children are born with this plan. Which I feel is this: “When I grow up I am going to drive! I am going to take the family car out for a spin! I need to pay attention on how my parents drive so I can take over for them one day! I need to take over for them one day because they will be old and feeble and will need me to do so! I will need to know how to drive so I can take my girl out, or go hang out at the mall because it is so un cool for my mother to take me on a date or to the movies! Yes, learning how to drive is a must in my life so I will pay attention! And when the time comes I will teach my parents how to drive because they just don’t know how!” I promise you that you can expect this mentality from your teenager. I remember when April started to learn how to drive, she was so cool or at least thought she was. You have no idea how hard it was not to get upset with her unless you have been in this position. I had to learn to bite my tongue, let her learn for herself and pray she didn’t wreck. The same with my Erica, and she is worse than the first one! She makes no qualms about correcting me in any way, shape or form. “You told me not to do that mama, so why are you?” Talk about a wake up call! You have to teach them and yourself for that matter the new laws, the new signs. Getting a drivers manual from the local Department of Transportation is a very good thing. And the best part about this booklet is the fact that your teenager will see that you were right! Also, when they get a certain age in high school they can take Driver’s Education in which this is also very helpful. You can also hire a driving school if you are really nervous about it. Interstate driving is a must! They need to know to keep the speed up with other cars, but not too much. The correct way to pass on 2 or more lane highways and not to tailgate. They need to know that there are laws for going to slow as well. They need to know the correct way to get onto the Interstate and to get off. You need to teach them the correct way of turning and how not to drive on dirt roads. You need to remind them that the pedestrian always has the right of way. They need to know how to parallel park as well as to know the seat belt laws. And those do vary from state to state. They need to know how to park on the hill, which way to turn the wheels on the curb for up hill and down hill parking. And then there is the snow and ice thing. You have to teach them that as well. And heavy rains, lights on, wipers on and go slow in heavy rains. And to pull off the road the correct way. How to handle a blow out. They need to know about the engine, how to change the oil, check the fluids, the air in the tires, the correct way to adjust the mirrors for their best sight. And of course, they need to know how to wash the family car and that must be a big rule. You want to drive it, you wash it buddy! Now, that you have done all of these things, it’s time to get in the car with your teenager. Now this is what you do. First call the insurance company. Then pray for strength. Slowly and reluctantly walk to the passenger side of the car, open door, slowly get inside, pray, put seat belt on, pray, watch child and see what they do, pray, listen for car to crank up, watch for teenager to put into gear, pray, watch as you slowly start to move, look at mirror on visor to see horrid look on face and pray again! Let them drive a bit and see what needs to be said if anything at all. And you know what, you find yourself rather surprised! I mean this statement a lot! Surprised is such a great word for it! You’ll see that you will find that your teenager is doing a great job of driving. You feel this wonderful pride set up in side. You have done well in life once again. Now, and listen very carefully to this, you now have to go out of the drive way with them. Prayer is good here as well. Once out on the road it is really a good thing to see just what they can do behind the wheel. You learn right away that a correct, safe, lesson in stopping properly is certainly the way to go! And although you use to like music, you find now that you don’t! And the way you use to like your drivers seat, well that has now changed as well. You learn to keep your mouth shut to avoid an argument. Teach them to safely use their mirrors, to look in them constantly and know what is going on around them at all times. Yet at the same time, you learn to speak up about things and don’t be afraid to either! Set the rules, this is your car after all! Things like: “You put the drivers seat back to the way you found it there kiddo, because this is still my car! And when you get a job and pay for your own car you can keep your drivers seat the way you want it, make your own car rules and pay for your own gas and insurance, until that time, remember that this is my car, you make changes for your needs, you put those changes back for me, the owner of this car, and you leave that radio alone. “Don’t touch it is still the rule unless you ask!” And be sure that you take your cd out of the cd player before I get back into my car! And be sure that you get your trash out of my car. And make sure that you don’t let your friends mess my car up! You keep your grades up, I will pay for the gas and the insurance for you to drive my car, I will gladly let you use my car, you follow my rules and we will get along just fine, you understand this is a huge responsibility and that you will be responsible for people in my car, but you slip up just one time and you will loose those rights in a big hurry! And if you ever make the mistake of taking my car without asking I will call the police on you and you will suffer the consequences of this transaction. You break the rules I make and your life changes for you and you will not like these changes one bit! Do you understand?” And then you find yourself wondering if your parents felt this way when you learned how to drive. Of course they did! You’re not stupid you know they felt this way. And guess what? You now have something else to share with your parents. And you get to hear the horror stories of your teenage driving years once again! Isn't life fun? Over all, you just have to stay calm when teaching your teenager how to drive. Remember you had to learn just as they are having to learn. Actually this is the process in all you do with your child. Teach them the basics of driving, to slow down and how. The correct way to use the gas and the brakes. The correct way to park the car. How to stop at the stop signs and red lights. How not to run the caution light! How to properly change lanes in traffic. Signals are a good thing and should be used. Teach them to check and make sure the lights work, including the reverse lights, the brake lights, the door lights and the blinker lights. Remember, teach them well and they will not part from it. All of these things are good safety measures in driving for anyone. Teach them to lock the doors. To put their purses out of site. They also need to know how to change a tire. To hide their CD’s. Teach them how to think safe. I promise you that you will adjust to their driving habits, just as they had to adjust to yours. And know this as well, as they grow up they will leave home, you will cry, you will laugh, you will be relieved, you will be proud, you will be stronger, you will accept the boyfriends or the girlfriend, you will learn from them, you will grow old with them, you will hold the grandchildren and you will continue to make all those memories in life that only you can do. And you will survive it all! And to you fathers out there with little girls, remember they will fall in love, they will get married to that guy that you just can’t stand, they will have children of their own. But this as well, on the day that you hold that first grandchild you will be very proud, so very proud, you will see this great accomplishment in your life and you will think of the time that you taught this new mother, this person who use to be your little girl, and will always remain so in your heart, how to drive. And you will chuckle to yourself and your daughter will say to you “Daddy’s what’s so funny?” And you will say, “Nothing sweetheart, you will find out for yourself!” And you know what? Mother’s this is the same for you. With your sons and with your daughters. Just remember to follow the road signs; the laws of your state or country and all will be fine. Teach them common sense and they will be fine. And if you happen to have a riding lawn mower or know someone that does, this is a great piece of equipment to teach your teenager how to drive before they ever get behind the wheel of your car. Heck, if they can’t drive a lawn mower they can’t drive at all! Teach them safety and they will remain with it wherever they go, no matter what they do. Happy driving! I hope that this has helped in some kind of way. God Bless! ©LKD 2002  |
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