Another Driver to Be

My son is about to get his Learners Permit and I know its time to relive the ups and downs of teaching your kid to drive. In Texas, you can get your drivers license on your 16th birthday, or later, as long as: you have your learners permit at least 6 months and complete a State approved driver education course. You can be parent taught or take a commercial program. For more detailed information you can go to the Texas Department of Public Safety web site.

First…a little history on child #1 and general information. When my daughter first approached me wanting to get her learners permit six years ago, I was against 16 year olds driving. I felt they were too young and immature to act responsibly behind the wheel. Unfortunately, traffic and insurance statistics (my daughters included) prove that I was right in my beliefs and fears, but we went ahead and got the permit. We also opted for her to be parent taught and I signed on as her instructor.

We purchased a State approved program (Drivers Ed in a Box) and began six months of training. I did not want to send her to one of those driver license factories because I do not feel the kids get enough “behind the wheel time” and drive in the different weather conditions that they can be exposed to over a six month period. She completed the course, turned 16, and we went to the motor vehicle office with the completed paperwork. In Texas, and through the approved program, the “instructor”, me in this case, was able to sign her off for her license without a state drivers test.

Over the past few years, as my son got closer and closer to being able to get his permit, we went through the various stage of driving ego that I went through as a kid, which my daughter went through, that all of us have gone through:

I can’t wait to get my license.
Driving is easy.
Driving is soooooo cooooooooool.
Driving is easy.
I want a ______ (fill in car type as long as it is impractical and expensive).
Driving is easy.
You don’t have to take me everywhere.
Driving is easy.
I can help out with errands.
Driving is easy.

So now my son is 15 and has begun studying (or so he says) for his permit test. As we get closer and closer to taking him for his permit, he begins to get more hesitant about actually going. When we drive around, I explain what I am doing, what to look out for, what to do in certain situations, why I did not “hit the gas” and blow the yellowish-almost-turning-red light, and so on. I also let him drive around the block to get the “feel” of a car…he ended up on the curb while making a right turn. Now the “driving is easy” thought process starts to go away and the real world of driving starts to set in.

We also went over the RULES, the same rules that my parents applied to me and my siblings, the same ones that still apply his older sister.

The RULES for once he gets his license:
He cannot have his own car until he is a Senior.
He can borrow my car if I don’t need it.
He cannot drive to school until he is a Junior and a car is available.
He has to have a part time job.
He has to pay his own insurance.

The RULES for when he gets his own car:
Mom and Dad will gift him one used car.
If he ruins or wrecks it, he has to purchase his next car.
He has to have a part time job.
He has to pay for gas.
He has to pay for insurance.
He has to pay for repairs.

So in two weeks he’ll have enough study time to take his permit test. In two weeks and the time it takes to step out of the motor vehicle office, permit in hand, he will get behind the wheel, and the fun begins.







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