TKDmom Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 How am I going to survive this?? A 15yo + minivan + my already heightened anxiety = :willy_nilly: Why did I let her get a permit?? And I will have to start this all over again in 2 years... :( I need to hire someone else. That is all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 I made my husband do it. He followed the "curriculum" given out by the state DMV, and started out in parking lots. It was a slow process because he has less time than I do for that sort of thing, but our deal always was that I taught the kids to read, he was going to be the driving teacher. After our first driver was fairly functional on the road, we got professional driving lessons (like, driver training my generation got at school). And, at that point I started letting him drive when we were out and about. We're following the same method with our second driver, who just got her permit. It didn't relieve all my anxiety, but at least most of it! :-) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 I also had to make my spouse do it. It sent my anxiety through the roof, like couldn't breathe and full on panic attack. It seemed awful that I couldn't pull myself together. And this was after they took the driving class too. Lol. But hey, now my driving child is the only person I actually like and trust their driving. So it got better. After several times with dh, his driving was okay enough for me to be able to go too and not Panic too much. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 In the past 12 months, I have gotten four - FOUR - of my kids licensed. I am now fully grey headed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted November 17, 2016 Author Share Posted November 17, 2016 In the past 12 months, I have gotten four - FOUR - of my kids licensed. I am now fully grey headed. Oh my. That makes me want to cry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Only me Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 In the past 12 months, I have gotten four - FOUR - of my kids licensed. I am now fully grey headed. Wow I give you a lot of credit. All 3 of mine took driving lessons but our state requires 50 hours of practice with a parent (or other licensed driver over 18). My dh didn't help at all so that's over 150 hours but they are 3 years apart. My youngest two were good drivers but it was horrible with my oldest. I'm still terrified to drive with her. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theelfqueen Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 There's research that says people who are taught to drive by their parents are safer drivers... I think it's because the wincing and sighing is permanently embedded in their driving psyche. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Mine is refusing to get his permit so far. I'm ok with that. We're going to pay for lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Yes, it's stressful! I've been through two, 3 years apart. Still have one to go. I never thought I'd be the one to teach driving because I hate driving and I'm not very good in stressful situations. Dh's personality is more suited. But, alas, I wasn't able to get out of it. :p Dh and I worked it so that he gave them their initial training--parts of car, how to start/shift/stop, basic operation, short drives. After he gave the green light they got to go on the road with me. I got to do most of the driving training by default--I drove them to school, dh was off at work. Both sons learned on my minivan but ended up testing in a smaller car. Some days were scary--the traffic here is nuts!--but for the most part it all went well. Ds1 gave me the biggest compliment. One day his classmates were all talking about learning to drive and most of them complained about their parents being screamers. (Before we started I'd have sworn I'd be a screamer.) He thanked me for not screaming. Except that one time. We laugh about it now. He was messing with the shifter (it's an automatic!) while we sat at the red light--on a hill!--and forgot he left it in neutral so that when the light turned green and he took his foot off the brake, we rolled back. I screamed. He now drives a stick shift and avoids hills. lol Teaching ds2 was only slightly easier. He also got one scream--when he nearly rear-ended another car. I was most surprised at how mentally exhausting it was for me. So get lots of rest and take lots of deeeeeeep breaths! :D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Does your state have a parents guide? Our laws may be different, but you could still use this as a guide and checklist. Especially read pages 10 & 11 of the PDF, good for parents. You can do this! I have two down and one to go. https://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/dvspubsforms/BDL/BDL%20Publications/Pub%20385a.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Wow I give you a lot of credit. All 3 of mine took driving lessons but our state requires 50 hours of practice with a parent (or other licensed driver over 18). My dh didn't help at all so that's over 150 hours but they are 3 years apart. My youngest two were good drivers but it was horrible with my oldest. I'm still terrified to drive with her. SO JEALOUS that your supervising drivers can be 18! It's 21 in PA and of course Diamond didn't turn 21 until ten days before Sweet Child was eligible for her road test. >:^( Plus we need 65 hours. And I think that is expected to increase by the time BabyBaby gets her permit. (Mini rant on weird PA laws... if SweetChild was married and her husband was 18 HE could supervise her driving on her permit, even if he just got his license that day with zero hours practice. Age 18+ does not need any minimum hours to test. But a sibling age 20 with almost five years experience is not good enough. ARRRGH!!!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 I'm on my second - and last. I would prefer my dh do this, but he refused. It has to be done, so I do it. But, yes, it is hard. I wish I had set them loose on the lawn tractor years ago, but our yard is pretty hilly/bumpy, and I have trouble staying on the non-seated tractor, so I figured they wouldn't. If I believed in special places in heaven, I'd be sure there was one reserved for parents who taught their teens to drive. I've told my dh that I get a *NEW* car when this is all over. I need some motivation to keep going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 I got dd started (to the driving around the neighborhood stage) and then she did the driver ed course at the community college. It was so worth it. While I know how to drive, I don't really know how to explain it to someone else. Dd learned a lot and I think she's a safer driver than she would have been without the course. The statistics cited by the teachers on the first night basically confirmed that. Way fewer accidents for kids who've been through a driver ed class. Bonus here in our state: she did her drive test with the instructor that had been teaching her for the whole quarter instead of with the DMV who likes to fail everyone. Biggest con--I think it was about $300. But I will definitely go that route again with youngest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Only me Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 SO JEALOUS that your supervising drivers can be 18! It's 21 in PA and of course Diamond didn't turn 21 until ten days before Sweet Child was eligible for her road test. >:^( Plus we need 65 hours. And I think that is expected to increase by the time BabyBaby gets her permit. (Mini rant on weird PA laws... if SweetChild was married and her husband was 18 HE could supervise her driving on her permit, even if he just got his license that day with zero hours practice. Age 18+ does not need any minimum hours to test. But a sibling age 20 with almost five years experience is not good enough. ARRRGH!!!) Oops I was wrong it is 21. It wasn't an issue for us since my oldest is my worst driver. There is no way I would have had her help her younger siblings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 After surviving teaching our oldest in a 93 Taurus, I told dh I couldn't do it with youngest in my new 2012 Highlander. I am a terrible passenger, even with my husband. Just, can't, do it. ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashfern Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 We paid for a company to do it. He had to have a certain amount of teaching and driving hours. They did the teaching and took him out on the road and then we did the remainder of the driving hours. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 I'd consider not doing it if you are extremely nervous. My mother was extremely nervous and it really set me back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 I made my husband do it. He followed the "curriculum" given out by the state DMV, and started out in parking lots. It was a slow process because he has less time than I do for that sort of thing, but our deal always was that I taught the kids to read, he was going to be the driving teacher. After our first driver was fairly functional on the road, we got professional driving lessons (like, driver training my generation got at school). And, at that point I started letting him drive when we were out and about. We're following the same method with our second driver, who just got her permit. It didn't relieve all my anxiety, but at least most of it! :-) This. Exactly this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 I'd rather potty-train twenty preschoolers than teach one teen to drive. But I did survive it once and I am almost there with my second kid. Dh is little help. I have done about 53 of the required 60 hours in both kids' cases. And I'm the one doing the most nerve-wracking stuff like teaching merge onto the highway and driving interstates. I was in the car with DD when she drove through her first snow squall - and that was out of state on the way to a college visit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familia Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 When both parent and student driver need some comic relief, I recommend: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted November 17, 2016 Author Share Posted November 17, 2016 When both parent and student driver need some comic relief, I recommend: :lol: Dd is even wearing her Studio C t-shirt today. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted November 17, 2016 Author Share Posted November 17, 2016 Does your state have a parents guide? Our laws may be different, but you could still use this as a guide and checklist. Especially read pages 10 & 11 of the PDF, good for parents. You can do this! I have two down and one to go. https://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/dvspubsforms/BDL/BDL%20Publications/Pub%20385a.pdf That does look helpful. Dd took drivers ed in FL to get her permit, but I've never seen a parent guide. We are living in NoVA for the next few months, though. The roads are crazy here (surprise). I miss flat, straight roads, with no parked cars or curbs. Or impatient drivers. Even with a student driver magnet in the back of the van, she's been honked at or cussed out for stopping in the wrong places on neighborhood streets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 How am I going to survive this?? A 15yo + minivan + my already heightened anxiety = :willy_nilly: Why did I let her get a permit?? And I will have to start this all over again in 2 years... :( I need to hire someone else. That is all Watch "The Middle" this week. Brick is learning to drive. It's so funny. The parents hide when he wants to practice. It's hard. I have a very responsible, really mature one who has a permit right now and it's still terrifying even though he is so careful. You just don't know what others are going to do, and also some things are pure judgment calls and you can't really explain them in advance. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 We used a driver's ed class, and DH did the remainder of the required hours. I went once, and stayed calm because that was best for him, but there was a near accident and my anxiety was too high after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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