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Teaching my children to walk was a piece of cake compared to teaching them to drive. When they were small and toddling around, I knew that if they fell, they would land on their cushy rear-ends and be fine. Sometimes a bump to the head would occur, but for the most part, they were safe. Driving? That is an entirely different ball game. A scarier game.
I am currently in the process of teaching my oldest son how to drive. Putting a young teen behind the wheel of a tons of metal and steel is a sobering event for even the strongest of parents. If they don't it right the first time, there could be serious consequences.
The first time I handed my van keys over to my teenager a part of me coiled up so tight I am still waiting for it to relax. Before he ever got behind the wheel he had to go through the rules, safety explanations and mild threats to pay attention to nothing but the road and other vehicles. That and that Mom would be really mad if her van-- not to mention her person-- were damaged in any way.
State Farm has an excellent article on preparing your teen to drive.
The purpose of this article is not to give you the "Rules of the Road" or statistics about auto accidents.
It does give you some common sense things to consider as you help prepare your teenager for driving. These topics include:
- Putting Things in Perspective
- Setting a Good Example
- Being Involved
- Talking Facts
- Setting Some Ground Rules
It talks about teaching by example. Showing your teen that speeding is not okay. It is not okay to speed up through a yellow light. And cell phones? What are you teaching your children now about using cell phones when you are driving. If it is okay for you to do these things, they will think it is okay for them. Afterall, you do and are doing fine. No matter how many classes they take, books they read or films they watch, you are their greatest example and teacher.
Take for instance Katherine of Raising Five. She is teaching her teenage daughter how to drive. Though, I am sure the would choose other ways to teach through example, she was given the perfect opportunity at an everyday situation her daughter may find herself in once she is on her own and driving. The "I hit someone but no one saw me so what do I do?" dilemma.
Ruthie was working on her sucker, my mind was on keeping the blowing
papers in order for my next stop, and I climbed up into my truck. I'd
parked my Very Large and Very Tall vehicle up a little too close to the
truck in front of me, so I put it in reverse so I could have enough
room to get around it to pull out.SMACK!
I don't know what was worse: the sound of metal crunching metal, or the
feeling of being physically whiplashed out of my state of
absentmindedness. Yup, in my haste to get on with becoming my
daughter's official driver's ed instructor, I'd failed to complete
Driving 101: Check mirrors before putting vehicle in reverse.
Not that I would have been able to see that brand-new, teeny little
Cadillac, crouching way down there, from On High where I sit driving my
beast. But still.At this point, I am shaking, knowing that every person in Small Town has been watching me. What
is she going to do, that city girl? Does she think she can just back
into whoever she wants and get away with it? She'll never be able to
show her face in this town ever again! The police station was
practically across the street. The owner of the Bead Store, whose
storefront faces the scene of my crime, had probably already called.I stumbled out to survey the damage. Fortunately, having a Very Tall
Vehicle has its advantages. My bumper is up so high, only the empty
hitch holder hit the other car - in the license plate.Oh, the irony! The shame! The pain! On my way - me, the driving instructor - on the way to take my student to apply for her driving permit!
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Things were quiet on the way
