Driver's Education, 5th and final time to have to endure

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Fitz

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I just need to vent a minute. I have my youngest that is just beginning drivers education. I can’t belive I have to go through this again! It is sort of like child birth- so necessary, but oh my gosh it is intense! I really hate when you have to start driving with them. I hate when they finally get the llicense and you feel like they need another year of practice. I hate when you have to let them actually use your car, you know the one you need for work! I hate when you have to make that call to the insurance company to up your rates and add them on.

You know, God never did have this in mind. I know He knows all things, but he never really created the car. This is about the time that I just wouldn’t mind being Amish. Who needs to travel…Pray for me. I did OK with my first, Ok with my second one driving, my third I think I was numb, and with the foreign exchange student I knew I was sending her back to Germany, but my third- I AM TO OLD FOR THIS!
 
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Fitz:
I just need to vent a minute. I have my youngest that is just beginning drivers education. I can’t belive I have to go through this again! It is sort of like child birth- so necessary, but oh my gosh it is intense! I really hate when you have to start driving with them. I hate when they finally get the llicense and you feel like they need another year of practice. I hate when you have to let them actually use your car, you know the one you need for work! I hate when you have to make that call to the insurance company to up your rates and add them on.

You know, God never did have this in mind. I know He knows all things, but he never really created the car. This is about the time that I just wouldn’t mind being Amish. Who needs to travel…Pray for me. I did OK with my first, Ok with my second one driving, my third I think I was numb, and with the foreign exchange student I knew I was sending her back to Germany, but my third- I AM TO OLD FOR THIS!
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Yeah, but if you were Amish, think about the angst about letting the kids hold the reins and the fights about cleaning out stalls.
 
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Fitz:
I just need to vent a minute. I have my youngest that is just beginning drivers education. I can’t belive I have to go through this again! It is sort of like child birth- so necessary, but oh my gosh it is intense! I really hate when you have to start driving with them. I hate when they finally get the llicense and you feel like they need another year of practice. I hate when you have to let them actually use your car, you know the one you need for work! I hate when you have to make that call to the insurance company to up your rates and add them on.

You know, God never did have this in mind. I know He knows all things, but he never really created the car. This is about the time that I just wouldn’t mind being Amish. Who needs to travel…Pray for me. I did OK with my first, Ok with my second one driving, my third I think I was numb, and with the foreign exchange student I knew I was sending her back to Germany, but my third- I AM TO OLD FOR THIS!
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Yeah, but maybe what you really hate is worrying about them when they’re out there driving? And maybe that this one is your baby learning to drive?

But of course you can do this, and just think-- soon they can get jobs!! :yup:

Peace and Prayers
 
Yeah, getting jobs is the pig payoff. You made my day. How could I forget this?
 
Fitz:

Been there, done that. I was student-driving #2 and #3 at the same time. And when they would get impatient with my anxiety, I would remind them that when they were in the driver’s ed cars, their teacher had a whole lot of experience at this, had been through it all, knew what to anticipate from the students, and ALSO HAD A BIG SIGN ON THE TOP OF THE CAR THAT SAID “STUDENT DRIVER.” Didn’t that alone make other drivers on the road keep a healthy distance!!

We humans have a tendency to faint just before the finish line. Hence the verse. Hang in there. These experiences are what push us parents to be ready for the nest to be empty.
 
Wait a minute, who’s the boss here?
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Fitz:
I hate when they finally get the llicense and you feel like they need another year of practice.
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I hate when you have to let them actually use your car, you know the one you need for work!

Then don’t let them use it, if you’re afraid they’re going to do something to it that will take it out of commission.

I hate when you have to make that call to the insurance company to up your rates and add them on.

Then make the kids pay for the insurance increase.

DaveBj
 
Well, for better or for worse, driving is a necessity of life here in these United States. Ya gotta let 'em learn. My Dad (God rest his soul) was always afraid to let me drive, and as a result I really didn’t take up driving until I got married and moved away from home. I’m still somewhat of a chicken behind the wheel–won’t drive expressways or busy streets during rush hour. On the other hand, my 19 yr-old son has no qualms about driving in any conditions. We’re currently going through student driving with Number 2 son who just turned 16. He can’t wait to get his license (I can wait, though) and we have a 13-yr. old daughter who’s going to be getting her learner’s permit in another two years. Yikes!
 
Yikes, I can wait until my little ones are this old. My greatest worry is that they don’t practice their piano enough and I pay 80 dollars per month per child for lessons.
 
what is worse than having your kid go thru drivers ed? teaching him to drive yourself. TV shows and movies we will never see: Charles Ingalls teaching Laura how to drive. Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy learning to drive. Mr. Bennet teaching Elizabeth and Jane how to drive. Tom and Huck learning to drive from Injun Joe, Pap, or Jim. Mowgli learning to drive.
 
My parents taught the older kids how to drive. The older kids had to teach the younger kids.
 
Really selfish vent…especially if the poster is a driver…ever remember being young once and the excitement of getting your license & thrill of having wheels? :rolleyes:
 
I hit a car on my first try. Just a little, tiny “bump” as I parallel parked. Really nothing at all in my opinion. Certainly not enough to flunk me. OK - I am still a tad bitter.

May God bless you and your young driver.
 
Fitz-

Believe me, it’s no picnic for the kids, either. When I was in driver’s ed and practicing with my parents, I actually had to pull over on a side street and ask my mom to either stop shrieking in fear at everything (and I mean everything: parked cars to which I gave several feet of clearance, oncoming traffic, stop signs, left turns, etc.), or get out of the car so I could get home safely. The constant shrieking was so distracting that it nearly caused me to have accidents, where I otherwise would have been fine.

The problem was easily solved by having my dad sit in the passenger seat- he would bring along the latest issue of “Golf” magazine, sit back, and glance up every few minutes to check the surroundings. I passed my tests with very high scores, have been driving for 10 years now, and have a better driving record than my mom (I haven’t been in an accident nor have I ever gotten a ticket for anything other than parking violations).
 
Ah, yes. Teenagers driving. I’ve just started with the third. Since our kids are required to pay for their own driver’s ed and all the other stuff that goes with driving—driver’s licenses and insurance, they have come late to driving. The oldest finally got his license when he was 21, the next when she was 19 and just about to go out the door to the Navy, and the final just got her permit in September after she turned 17.

I’ve taught all of them, even though they still have to go through driver’s ed. after I’ve made them do 80-100 hours of controlled driving in every kind of circumstance. Maryland doesn’t accept parent-taught driver’s ed. Very annoying. For pete’s sake, I’ve taught them everything else. And who cares more about my car that they are going to drive–me or the driver’s ed instructor? What’s so difficult about teaching driving? Except, of course, the terror on the road when they are behind the wheel. I try to control my nervousness, but the youngest picks up on the foot on the fake pedal and the clutching at the car door. The Baltimore beltway is the next scary part to come. And this child loves speed.

Mary Fran
 
I’ve done driver’s ed with 2 so far. Here in MD they have to get at least 40 hours of practice before they can test for a license. My husband is way too nervous to help with the 40 hours, so I do it. Both kids tried driving with dad and neither wanted to do it again. Luckily I only have one more and she’s not quite 14, so I have a break. God bless you!

—KCT
 
Faithful 2 Rome:
Really selfish vent…especially if the poster is a driver…ever remember being young once and the excitement of getting your license & thrill of having wheels? :rolleyes:
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I do remember and I know it is a right of passage in this country. I thought I had it all under control until my youngest just started drivers ed. I guess I just can’t believe I have to go through it ONE MORE TIME!
 
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SeekerJen:
Fitz-

Believe me, it’s no picnic for the kids, either. When I was in driver’s ed and practicing with my parents, I actually had to pull over on a side street and ask my mom to either stop shrieking in fear at everything (and I mean everything: parked cars to which I gave several feet of clearance, oncoming traffic, stop signs, left turns, etc.), or get out of the car so I could get home safely. The constant shrieking was so distracting that it nearly caused me to have accidents, where I otherwise would have been fine.

The problem was easily solved by having my dad sit in the passenger seat- he would bring along the latest issue of “Golf” magazine, sit back, and glance up every few minutes to check the surroundings. I passed my tests with very high scores, have been driving for 10 years now, and have a better driving record than my mom (I haven’t been in an accident nor have I ever gotten a ticket for anything other than parking violations).
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OK, now this is funny. Maybe I am getting a little more like your mom every day. I won’t be doing the actual driving part with him until May, so I have a few months to brace myself. He is currently in the classroom part. I know I can do this, but I fear I will make him crazy like your mom did you. Maybe my husband can be the one to do this. I just know that I want him to get lots of practice and I know they have increased the amount of time in Illinois that they require them to practice above and beyond the class- so I know I will still be doing a good portion of the monitoring.
 
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violetandgandal:
Maryland doesn’t accept parent-taught driver’s ed. Very annoying. For pete’s sake, I’ve taught them everything else. And who cares more about my car that they are going to drive–me or the driver’s ed instructor? What’s so difficult about teaching driving? Except, of course, the terror on the road when they are behind the wheel. I try to control my nervousness, but the youngest picks up on the foot on the fake pedal and the clutching at the car door. The Baltimore beltway is the next scary part to come. And this child loves speed.

Mary Fran
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I don’t even know if Illinois accepts parent taught drivers ed, because it never occurred to me to try to get my kids out of the class. I guess I just hope that they learn something there above and beyond what I can teach them. Good luck on your last one too!
 
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Fitz:
I don’t even know if Illinois accepts parent taught drivers ed, because it never occurred to me to try to get my kids out of the class. I guess I just hope that they learn something there above and beyond what I can teach them. Good luck on your last one too!
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If you are under 18 (or something like that) you have to take the course to get a license (or even an instruction permit). Adults can just go to the Secretary of State office and take the written test for the learners permit, then have whoever they want teach them.

Move back to the city, Fitz! Then you can just tell your kid that there’s no need to drive, as the CTA will get you everywhere you need to go.
 
I couldn’t stand driving with my mom yelling at me, so I didn’t get a license until after I moved out. I skipped driver’s ed but did do behind the wheel training. When I got my license (passed by a wide margin in the San Francisco bay area), I told my brother who must have eventually told my mom. She was of course convinced that I was going to kill somebody, but it’s been over a year since I bought my car and I haven’t had so much as a speeding ticket.
 
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