Some Ideas for Improving Your Teen's Experience when They are First Learning to Drive

Here are some ideas about Improving Your teenager's first driving experience, while you maintain your sanity.
1)If your child has a winter birthday in an area that experiences ice and snow, it may be wise to allow them to get a little time behind the wheel in a parking lot before the weather turns bad to get a feel for how to handle the car.

2)Learning to parellel park using cones in a parking lot may save some dents and dinks.

3)Find out what the driving portion of the test looks like where your child will be taking their test. This may sound silly, but I personally failed my test the first time because my father did not know the driving course. I know this sounds like an excuse but it's not. He taught me to do a three point turn on a very narrow street because that is the location that requires such a maneuver. The testing facility had a very wide, short area for demonstrating this skill. I backed right out of the assigned area and failed.

4)Try to appear as calm as you possibly can while your teenager is driving. Even if they are doing something terribly wrong, yelling is not going to help the situation. It will only make them more anxious which may very well cause an accident.

If you have any other suggestions, I would love to hear about them. Your advice may just help another parent.

What Kind of Driver Will Your Child Be: The Daredevil or the Nervous Nelly?

I think children fall into one of two categories when it comes to driving: the Daredevil and the Nervous Nelly. We had one of each and they required very different teaching methods. One needs to be taught where the break is located, how to let up on the gas and be more cautious so that they don’t end up in an accident. The other needs to be taught to use a little more gas, keep their foot off the break and be less cautious so that they don’t end up in an accident. Knowing your child the way that you do, you probably already know what type of driver that your child will be. Use that information when developing a strategy on how to best teach each of your children to drive. Keep in mind that the method that worked for your oldest might not be the right method for your other children.

Driving and Teenagers...Oil and Water

Who ever came up with the brilliant idea of putting teenagers behind the wheel of a two ton vehicle needs to have their head examined. At a time when hormones and peers are ruling the judgement of our children, we are trying to teach them to drive safely and be responsible about their new found freedom. Talk about a losing battle. I want you to consider that there are a few good things about your child learning to drive. It reduces the amount that you need to cart your children around to sports practice, friend’s houses, and school activities. This was a huge lifestyle change for me that lightened my load considerably. It also provides you with a very effective means of discipline. Hanging on to the car keys until they have done their chores or started acting more respectfully is highly effective.

A Creative Idea for Teaching Your Daughter to Use a Tampon

This idea comes from a fifteen year old girl who taught her younger sister how to insert a tampon by demonstrating the technique with a two liter bottle and a tampon. Having struggled with this problem with my own daughter unsuccessfully, I thought this was a brilliant idea. My method of yelling instructions through a closed bathroom door led to frustration and tears. I think that this idea will work in many cases because so many of us are visual learners. Thanks for the awesome idea Brooke.

idea submitted by:
Brooke
Oakland, MD