So now I get to teach Caleb how to drive. Sam will help with it also but for some reason I seem to do better at this than she does. Which is kinda weird cause she has a whole lot more patience than I do. She has the patience of Job and I have the patience of Hannibal Lector at a morgue. Go figure.
Teaching a teen to drive in this traffic-packed crazed-driver area, also known as the DC suburbs is like teaching someone how to be a knife thrower and you are the target. Maybe it's that way in all areas of the country. But it sure seems particularly bad to me around here. On top of the sheer volume of traffic we have here. We also have; all the speed-crazed commuters rushing to work while texting or talking on their phones, soccer moms in their SUV's, immigrants who are in cars for the first time in their adult lives and lots of geezers who for some reason haven't moved down to Florida yet.
So far he's doing better than Alexandria or Josh did at this point. Alex if you are reading this - sorry but it's true. It's that whole hand-eye coordination thing.
Maybe I should get a sticker like this one put on the cars. The only problem with this sticker is that people like me would email the parents with horror stories of how bad their child was driving - just for a cheap thrill.
It could be worse - at least I don't have to deal with this with Caleb - at least I don't think so. Black nail polish maybe but not lipstick, that I know of....
Pray for me. I'm sure by the time I get to #11 I will have almost no hair left and have a nasty Valium addiction.
7 comments:
Heck with all the older siblings, you may be able to pass that torch along... what am I saying?! Teaching children to drive is such fun! Here in Illinois the children can get their permits, right after they turn 15, which means I'll be cranking up the ole psychotic dad hat again soon. Such fun. The kids also have to drive, I think it's 100 hours with us AND take driver's education. Serious overkill in my opinion, but I don't make the laws, only try to follow them. :)
We are about to embark on the same adventure with our eldest. I'm not allowed to help teach, something about my being panicky and neurotic in the car.
Sleepless nights may take on a whole other meaning once we give her the reigns, so to speak!
Roger - my wife is the youngest of 9 and her siblings taught her. In MD they have to take drivers ed and then its 60 hours with the parents, 20 of the hours have to be at night. Glad someone is trying to follow the rules ;)
Mau - Sam has been driving a lot with Caleb and is doing better, it helps that Caleb is a better driver than the other 2 were at this age.
It's stressful having kids out there driving but man does it come in handy, we miss it. our 2 drivers are out of the house right now
1300€ (1700$) on average for the licence here, whether children learn with their parents (3000 kms obligatory in many conditions + classes on road with the driving school 20 hours + exam 2 hours-exam for the signs) or learn with the driving-school.
Very complicated here, and expensive.
What make it so expensive is that driving schools are private here. No crisis for them until now. Customers, nowadays, will be obliged to postpone the registration because of the rate.
It will be our turn.
YIKES ... they issue drivers permits at 14 in my state. I could potentially be getting behind the wheel with my 13 yr old in less than one year.
GOOD LUCK to you.
M25M - 14?! When can they get their regular license? 16? that would be a long time to practice driving. or can they get it earlier?
In our state you can get a learners license at 14 and that expires at 16 (must be in a car with someone older than 21). Then you move onto an intermediate license (must have had a 6 month period of driving with someone and have no previous accidents in the past 6 mos). AT 18 you get a regular license.
I was issued my license in NJ at the age of 17 ... got my learners permit at 16.
14 scares the heck out of me and I DOUBT my daughter will get her permit until she is 15 (minimum). Honestly I don't think we will be living in this state so I would hope the law is different where we move to (OH or NJ).
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