One of the hardest things most parents will ever have to do is get in the passenger seat of a vehicle
while their teenage drivers are behind the wheel. It’s not only fairly disconcerting to put your life in
the hands of your child, but a license to drive is a sure sign that your kids are growing up, which can be
a little depressing. Of course, there’s also the fact that the moment your teens are out of sight, all the
lessons they learned will go out the window as the overpowering freedom of transportation (or peer
pressure) causes them to act in an irresponsible manner. And unless these antics result in an accident,
you’ll be none the wiser. Yikes – that’s a big ball of worry you’re carrying around. All you can really do
(short of making them wait until they move out) is do your best to prepare them for driving, even before
they get behind a wheel.
So where should you start? In all honesty, your preparations for this momentous day will start when
your children are first born. Teaching your kids to act responsibly, follow the rules, and respect
authority from a young age is the best thing you can do to ensure that they see driving as a privilege, not
a right, that they respect the rules of the road, and that they understand the consequences of a failure
to comply with the law. You can also take steps to get them familiar with automobiles.
When your kids enter their teenage years and the date of their licensure looms, it’s time to step it up
a notch and focus your efforts on helping them [Read more…]