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Any advice on overcoming the sheer terror of teaching a teenager to drive?

My son has a learner's permit and I'm afraid to take him on the road. There, I admitted it.

thinkwithme 7 May 26
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21 comments

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4

Give them a bike!

3

Get someone you don't care for that much to do it.

3

We started in large parking lots just getting the feel of driving, moved up to quiet wider residential streets or out in the country for a while, then to more standard roads off peak hours.
Parking was the worst for my nerves - we started with empty lot and folding chairs to get an obstical feel in adjacent spaces.
Then off to drivers ed for polish.

3

I taught my kids to drive on our Kentucky family farm when my daughter was eight and my son was 11, avoiding the surly, rebellious teen stage, when they were still young enough to be willing to do anything to drive.

I knew that they'd probably steal the car for joy riding long before they were officially old enough to drive and I preferred they could drive safely. I did the same with swimming..they could swim like fish when toddlers.

I made a game out it; I laid a newspaper section in the driveway and the first thing they had to do was to stop the old Oldsmobile with any wheel I designated, in the middle of the paper.

After a week or so of practice they could both do this with ease, so next they had to drive zig-zag around traffic cones in the long driveway. Then they had to back the car through the cones, stopping and starting smoothly when told.

Next, I let them take turns driving up the long holler road that ran beside our farm and up a steep gravel slope to a remote farm pond where we went swimming in summer. I'd have them start and stop the car on the slope without spinning the wheels in the gravel.

By the end of that summer both those kids were experts, since we practiced daily for at least an hour and they were eager to do it, at that age.

3

Yeah...be sure to buckle up😉

2

Start in empty parking lots

2

Just do it. Hamd him the keys and jump into the passenger seat. It won't be as bad as you're thinking. I learned that way and it's how I taught my son.

2

Being affraid is not going to help and your teen will drive anyways. Think about that. Let it sink. Then you need to spend time on important things like no texting while driving, no friends tagging along (even when learner's permit explicitly says that)...things like that. In other words, you are not teaching him how to operate a vehicle, you are teaching him how not to get in trouble, kill himself or even worst, kill somebody else. Most accidents are preventable, that's what young drivers need to know/learn

2

You could take him to parking lots when the stores are closed, with late at night or holidays. That way he could get experience safely. Then you may feel like he’s ready for the open road

2

I taught my kids the rudiments, but they got professional lessons also. We used empty parking lots quite a bit at first. I don't think I was ever really scared.

2

Someone already commented what I was going to say. Have someone else do it. Friend, relative or hire someone. It will be worth it for both of you

2

Take him to an empty parking lot the first couple of times

Yep. We did that. It's the road I'm nervous about.

Or take her in a snowy parking lot far away from parked cars to learn steering into and out of skidding. ...doing donuts can be supervised fun.....but never let a child have keys to your car....make them get a job and buy their own car & insurance. ...careful drivers avoid un-necessary collision repairs they have to pay for themselves

2

I just did it myself for my 16YO daughter. This is my second go-round. I have a 25YO son too. With my daughter, our first behind the wheel session was in a confined space, a residential loop. She drove around in one direction for a few laps, then reversed direction. This gave her a feel for the car, and for making turns. You can practice braking and acceleration in that scenario too. If you don't have a loop like that available, find an empty parking lot. When you finally go out on the surface streets, be calm. Your anxiety will not help anything. I coached my kid through every action the first few times. Forecasted every turn, gave running (calm) commentary about her lane position and following distance. I know you'll be scared shitless, but you must present a calm demeanor. I think that helps more than anything else. Your kid is already tense and excited at the prospect of driving. You don't want to make the experience any more tense than it already is. Hope this helps. =]

I second this. I still have 2 years before I start with my oldest, but just by remembering how my experience was...
I learned to drive stick in a parking lot. Even had a guy stop to ask if everything was ok ?

That does help. Thank you.

@thinkwithme Oh, one other thing! Order some student driver magnets. I bought 3 that say "Student Driver Please Be Patient."

They are yellow with black lettering. We display them on the back and sides of the car. People are much nicer and often give you a wide birth. How could I forget to mention that? LOL!

1

yes, pay a driving instructor 🙂

1

Get someone else to teach lol my brother is learning and he just wrecked my mom's van into a gas station. Now I adamantly refuse to drive with him lol

Oh no! At least it was just the vehicle and not the people. Hope it is fixable.

@thinkwithme oh it got fixed lol insurance shelled out more than the car cost to fix it too

1

Have a friend teach him. Less stress for all involved.

1

Teach them to drive a stick shift.

I have an automatic

1

Send him on a crashigh course with a qualified instructor or get a cheap set of dual controls

I didnt know that existed

1

just assume they will crash, plan to deal with that outcome

Scary, but I get it. See the possibilities to create the best outcomes

1

Prozac!

Coldo Level 8 May 26, 2018
1

Get someone else to teach them. Takes the pressure off you !

In Cali you are required to pay for professional instruction unless your new driver is 18 or older. I think it is deliberately designed to discourage minor driving.

@IAMGROOT
Here in S.A too but we can only get motor car license 18 !

@VAL3941 Yeah, it's pretty dumb here. Once you turn 18, you can run down to the DMV, pick up a handbook, study it and immediately take your written test and when you pass that, you can immediately take your behind the wheel test. You still have to pass both, but you would not believe the hoops they make you jump through for a minor driver. Something like 30 hours of online testing, plus the actual exam to get a permit, then around 50 hours of behind the wheel practice, PLUS 3, paid behind the wheel lessons (and they ain't cheap). As I said, it's designed to discourage minor driving.

@IAMGROOT
Thats not a bad thing, is it ?

@VAL3941 I think it's bullshit. LOL!

@IAMGROOT
Only because youbgot to teach him/her ???

@VAL3941 No, because I don't appreciate my government manipulating me by placing me into a situation where I'm screwed either way. I withhold my kid from driving, something she already needs, and I'm screwed. Or, we jump thru the hoops and spend all the money, and they win/I'm screwed. In Cali, driver training used to be handled by the public school system. Classroom, simulator, and behind the wheel training all done through your local HS.

@IAMGROOT
OK! Lifex a bitch ! Then we die.

@VAL3941 True dat!

@IAMGROOT
Good luck ! And I really mean that !

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