My daughter has her permit to drive.

[SCUMFROG]

I'm taking her down to get her permit today. What happened, she used to be my little girl that would suck the salt off chips and put them back in the bag when I wasn't looking as we watched TV together. Now it's boys and driving daddy's Cadillac. I want my little girl back.

[upnorth]

Ah Yes...when the kids start driving I rememeber those days. You let them take the car and then worry like he11 for the next couple hours about them and the car. My son blew the motor on my pickup. My daughter was easier on the vehicles, but that was my little girl(still is I guess)so the worry factor was much higher. It gets easier after about six months or so.

[MNice]

Good Luck!!! I have 3 daughters, 21, 15 & 12. Teach'em well, be patient, and make they learn to drive a clutch The first time they go alone be prepared for NO sleep until they get home....

The joy's of parenthood

[delmuts]

ooooh boy !!!!! i had to deal with two of them getting permits at the same time.( i have twins) i aged alot during that first year!!!! you will survive!! . the first night after my daughter got her drivers' license, she took the mirror off my car putting it in the garage!yes you will be nervous, and it gets worse when they get the license.our parents did it! now it is our turn. hang in there!!! del

[Corey Bechtold]

Thanks for the warning SCUMFROG. I dread the day my kids start driving, it's only 7 years till my oldest of three starts. I think I'll teach her to run the boat in the meantime.

Good Luck!

Corey Bechtold

[wall eyell be]

thanks for the warning, let us know when it's safe to venture back onto the public roads ... j u s t _ k iiii d d i n g !!!

Seriously though, I'll second MNice's suggestion on the clutch.

And one more idea; Teach her to backup with the trailer. Some lucky guy will thank you some day.

[sami0115]

my daughter is 6 1/2. i'm already worried. but i have started driver's training on my own. she and i drive around the golf course in a golf cart. i started by letting her steer and i would work the brakes and gas. now it has progressed to where she steers and works the gas. she is doing very well, having fun and learing at the same time.

[SCUMFROG]

I don't know anyone with a stick so that wont be for a bit. I am going to show both of my kids how to back up a trailers that's a must. The last time I let her drive my truck was last summer up north. She pulled out of this parking lot onto the gravel road and didn't let go of the wheel so with the wheels still turned we drove into the ditch. Luckily I had a 4 inch lift and 33 inch tires on it so I just drove it right out. But I needed to clean out my shorts cause when you hit the gas instead of the breaks that big 350 sure does growl. Nothing happened to us or the truck. She lives with her mother so I don't have to much to worry about just the weekends she's over at my house.

[opsirc]

what fun that was, my daughter got hers about two years ago. got her licenses last year. she does pretty good now. got a lot of road time when she drove gramdma's 89 caddy all the way back from arizona this past summer. hit four major cities. do not know who age more in those three days me or grandma who was riding with her. Now its the boys turn to drive, couple more years the youngest daughter. hopefully will not be sitting in a corner babbling by the end of it aLL.

O

[Dan Thiem]

My boy has had his permit for almost a year now. Pretty good driver also. He takes his test in about a week. He's a little worried about the parallel parking thing. My wife says she wont even parallel park so why do they have to do it on a test?

[echotrail]

I'm glad those days are behind me (Three sons). Insurance rates: WOW! I can take two winter vacations per year now with the $ not spent on that item. Once they get access to a vehicle you never see 'em and you wonder where they are and how many others did they cram into your car despite the house rules.

[MuleSkinner]

I remember last year when my daughter got her permit. I live in an apartment. She was over for the weekend. We get in the car, she's behind the wheel. She buckles up, etc., and starts the car. She puts it in reverse. Then she looks over at me, and seriously asks: "which way do I turn the wheel?"

Well, we got through those months, she now is 16, licensed, and has a car. She and her 2 older brothers do not understand the worry I have everytime I hear an ambulance siren... sounds like most parents have the same fears. Even if you know your kids are safe, you worry that it may be someone else's kids...

[uffdapete]

Went through those same concerns twice in the last 6 years and now both are very good drivers. 1 speeding ticket and no accidents and no other violations (except parking) so far between two of them driving a total of 10 years. In fact they might be better drivers than their parents in that they're more alert & don't take as much for granted.

So be encouraged. Give them an opportunity to earn your trust and respect as young adult drivers. Both of mine had underpowered cars by design, didn't carry more than 1 responsible passenger for the first couple years and also did not own their own cars (which made curfews and other things easier to enforce). I wouldn't change much in this area if I had to do it again - other areas yes, not this one.

[musky hunter]

I've been down that road three times. The boys were better than my girl initially. I'll never forget trying to teach my daughter to back the car, let alone parallel park. We practiced backing on a straight line painted in an empty parking lot. I must have been a lousy teacher because it took quite a while.

It took some getting used to, but my days of coaching or driving to soccer, little league, basketball, swimming, church outings, and sleepovers are over. It took 20 years for all my kids to grow up. I miss it and meeting with all the other parents in the same boat. But it's also nice that the kids are independent now and I can do a little fishing.

[Daze Off]

My daughter has been "on the road" on her own for a whopping two months now and I have the gray hair to prove it! Our rules were that she had to have a job and the first years' insurance money UP FRONT or no test...once she passed, no one else but family in the car with her for the first year.....too tough????

Daze Off

[fishbreath]

2 sons 21 19 both college students, 1 at home 1 away at school both have cars and don't drive around to much. Talk about an expense.I told then there car have to last until there out of school or they buy there own.

[sami0115]

Daze.. that sounds like a good idea to me. nothing like teaching a kid financial responsibility before they get too old.

it seems like when you get a bunch of young kids in the car together you can have some major distractions that would make driving difficult for someone with limited driving experience. you are just asking for problems then.

[ATM]

My first child is due in January so Ive got aways to wait for this but if he/she are near as hard on vehicles and my parents as I was Ive got alot to worry about. Adam

[Daze Off]

Not sure there will be cars by the time your kids are of age - they likely won;t run on gas anyway or it will be $235.00/gal

Daze Off

[The Grebe]

I have 3 sons and a daughter and I have to say that the boys were a tough bunch when they got their licences!

I let them know early on that there was'nt gonna be any of that "Hey, I'm borrowing the car, seeya!"

They all went through drivers training, they all started working while in their teens and they all got cars immediately upon getting their licence.

The oldest one wrecked 2 or 3, the middle one wrecked one and got ejected from the car into a snow bank (No seat belt)

the youngest boy did'nt wreck any but broke a couple.

Our daughter on the other hand, is an excellent driver, a little impatient with slow, left lane hoggers (Like her dad)

but she pays attention and is a defensive/aggressive/passive driver, whatever is called for, I don't mind riding with her.

It's scary at first, but they are not the first, won't be the last and they do get through it and usually become good drivers.

[SCUMFROG]

Well she waited in line for 20 minutes to take the test, was almost there (one person in front of her that got to stay and take the test.) when she was told that we would have to come back on Monday cause it is now 3:45 and they don't do any testing after that time. She was so upset she was crying on the way home. I was upset also. I think they need a better way of doing this.

[CornPirateKiller]

My dad started letting me drive country roads (with him beside me) at age 12. It really boosted my confidence and experience. When my step daughter turned 12, I did the same and also for her sister. When they got their permits, I rarely drove anywhere and let them drive in all conditions. It helped them and me. I still got gray hairs but I was pretty confident in them. My nine year old daughter is learning on the lawn tractor now and wants to try the car. Soon, baby, ...soon.

[rvvrrat]

CornPirate, I did the same thing. I let them back pull in and back out of the garage since they where about 11, then up and down the driveway. I let them drive anything with a motor like lawn mowers and boats. They need practice on how a vehicle balances, responds (or doesn't), and simply steering.

Knock on wood, they are 25 and 21 and no accidents.