No one ever tells you when you are stressing over things like teaching your young toddler about sharing, manners, and how to use a toilet, how much patience it takes. Those are tough skills to learn at any age, but especially when expressing your emotions is still so difficult.
What they also don’t tell you is that you need to try and save up as much of that patience as possible because at 16 you get the joy of teaching them how to drive a car.
Yes folks, you are going to take your sweet little pumpkin, put them behind the wheel of a giant piece of metal and fiberglass and send them out into the world ALL BY THEMSELVES!
But before that can happen, you have to teach them how to use this potential weapon of mass destruction. You are responsible for getting them up to speed on not only how to operate and maintain said vehicle, but also on all of the most recent driving laws in your state. And generally on how to not kill themselves or others in the process!
Did I mention that teenagers are as hard to teach as toddlers? Their emotions are as crazy as those toddlers, too. So you can expect several rounds of yelling, dashboard gripping, fake brake pumping, and general bouts of terror before this process is through.
Why do we put ourselves through it? Why don’t we just keep chauffeuring everyone around everywhere? Because the idea that they can pick up a few things from the grocery or take themselves to practice is cause for celebration. Think of what you could do with all of those hours in your day!
If you are like me, a few tips for making this transition easier are much appreciated. So, here are a couple for you.
Find a Motivator – According to my current teen driver, ‘kids these days’ are less and less interested in getting a license. And she’s right. A recent University of Michigan Monitoring the Future survey found that the share of high school seniors across the country who have a driver’s license dropped from 85.3 percent in 1996 to a record low 71.5 percent in 2015. Whether it’s because of tougher new rules on teen drivers or that they have access to services like Uber and Lift, teens are just not as concerned about getting a license these days. You may find that you have to motivate your kids to get them behind the wheel.
Start Early and Drive Often – We took my daughter to the BMV the day she was eligible to get her permit. My daughter is a dancer and is at her studio four to five days a week. Which means momma is at the studio four to five times a week and has been since she started at age 3! It was time for her to get herself there. We didn’t give her a choice, and she’s driven herself there nearly every time since getting her permit. She now drives my boys to practices and takes me to the grocery. She even drove us to a recent family outing over an hour away. If the car is going somewhere, she’s driving it! Remember, Ohio teens must complete 50 hours of driving, with at least 10 hours of night driving. So get them on the road!
Sign Up for Classes Early – In the State of Ohio, teen drivers are required to complete a driver education class including 24 hours of classroom or online instruction and eight hours of driving time. However, there are fewer and fewer accredited schools out there, and they are usually booked up especially in those precious summer hours! So sign up early and plan for completion of all the hours to take several months. Oh, and you can expect to pay upwards of $500 or more for these classes.
Follow the Rules – Legislators are about to vote on a new law for the State of Ohio expanding permit rules. New drivers will still be allowed to get their permit at 15 and half years old. However, under the new law, they must keep that permit a full year rather than the current six month time frame. The hope is that teen drivers will have more time behind the wheel with licensed drivers helping to cut down on errors and accidents. And it goes without saying, but always wear seatbelts and put their phones far away from them. My daughter’s goes in her bag in the back seat. Every time.
In the end, I am told all of this is worth it. We still have a month until her actual driving test. While I may still be terrified every time she gets behind the wheel, at least I will be terrified sitting on my comfy couch in my slippers!
I was absolutely terrified to drive! My mom literally had to force me… by taking me to get my permit the very day I was eligible and by making me practice often, much to my dismay. Eventually, I came around, and I know the day I got my license was a VERY happy day for her! Get ready for some freedom, Mama!!
I have heard lots of stories like this since the blog posted. I was the opposite – chomping at the bit for some freedom and power of my own – I couldn’t wait to drive. Funny how that works!
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