My teenage daughter has been getting ready to get her license. This has meant several hours a week of us riding in the car practicing. I have always thought that the best defense is a good offense so I have tried to think of all the situations she might have to drive in and had her do it with me. I felt that this was the best way to insure her safety and my peace of mind.
We drove in several different weather conditions including the high wind that our area is well known for. We have driven on the freeway, in the city, in the country, in small towns and in large ones. We drove on new blacktop, gravel and a number of old, narrow, broken roads.
We drove along the river and up to the mountains. We drove up Cabbage, a steep, twisty, scary climb and back down again. Down was even scarier! We drove through Pendleton, a labyrinth of one way streets.
We shopped, which required parking of all kinds, parking lot, curb and even parallel. We went through drive thrus, ate while driving and even answered a cell phone. I knew she was likely to do it anyway and I wanted her to see how distracting it could be.
As we drove, we talked about everything under the sun- dreams, fears, boys, friends, etc. It was great!
After a few weeks she started to tell me about her friends that already had licenses. Imagine my surprise when I realized that she was telling me how envious they were of her. Apparently many of them are not allowed to drive at night or in the city or on the freeway. One of her friends has had her license for two years and still has not done these things.
My daughter’s friends are still scared to drive and they are jealous of her growing confidence. But that is exactly what I wanted for her. I didn’t want her to get her license until both of us could feel relaxed with her behind the wheel.
I understand that there are many different ways to parent children but I have always felt that a parent’s greatest role is that of teacher. I remember reading once that a mother’s job is teaching her children to live without her starting at birth. It’s the one job that if done well puts you out of work. I believe that!
In all areas of life, we should be preparing them for the world they will find themselves in someday. Teaching skills to our children help their confidence grow. It gives them security. I am blown away by how many teens leaving home can’t do laundry or cook or make appointments or balance a checkbook. We might think we are protecting them but in truth, we aren’t doing them any favors. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
We drove in several different weather conditions including the high wind that our area is well known for. We have driven on the freeway, in the city, in the country, in small towns and in large ones. We drove on new blacktop, gravel and a number of old, narrow, broken roads.
We drove along the river and up to the mountains. We drove up Cabbage, a steep, twisty, scary climb and back down again. Down was even scarier! We drove through Pendleton, a labyrinth of one way streets.
We shopped, which required parking of all kinds, parking lot, curb and even parallel. We went through drive thrus, ate while driving and even answered a cell phone. I knew she was likely to do it anyway and I wanted her to see how distracting it could be.
As we drove, we talked about everything under the sun- dreams, fears, boys, friends, etc. It was great!
After a few weeks she started to tell me about her friends that already had licenses. Imagine my surprise when I realized that she was telling me how envious they were of her. Apparently many of them are not allowed to drive at night or in the city or on the freeway. One of her friends has had her license for two years and still has not done these things.
My daughter’s friends are still scared to drive and they are jealous of her growing confidence. But that is exactly what I wanted for her. I didn’t want her to get her license until both of us could feel relaxed with her behind the wheel.
I understand that there are many different ways to parent children but I have always felt that a parent’s greatest role is that of teacher. I remember reading once that a mother’s job is teaching her children to live without her starting at birth. It’s the one job that if done well puts you out of work. I believe that!
In all areas of life, we should be preparing them for the world they will find themselves in someday. Teaching skills to our children help their confidence grow. It gives them security. I am blown away by how many teens leaving home can’t do laundry or cook or make appointments or balance a checkbook. We might think we are protecting them but in truth, we aren’t doing them any favors. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
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