It went something like this:
“Hey, want to with me to <store name> to get a new dresser?” “Yeah, sure. Will you let me drive there?” she said a little distractedly, not really expecting me to say yes. Which I didn’t. “Nooo Sweetie, you don’t have a permit yet!” “Oh right. Well… ok. <eyes narrow ever so slightly> Will there be ice cream?” “Absolutely.” This is my go-to bribe and she knows it. “Yay!” she said, much less distractedly. We (finally) get out the door and into the car. I remember the Driver Education teacher’s advice:
Talk your way through every move. YOU know that you are signaling for a turn, but your teen isn’t inside your head listening to your thought process. Speak all that you can.
“Apply the brake, turn the key, release parking brake, check mirrors, put car in reverse, slowly back out making sure the neighbor kids are not anywhere near the driveway.” "Why are you saying that?” “Just part of the teaching process.” I explain our way to the highway and then through the merge on to 53.
Side note – have you recently thought about your driving process, then had to speak it so it makes sense to someone else? It’s exhausting!
“Hey Mom, didn’t you tell me that Poppy took you out to a cemetery for your first driving lesson?” “Yeah, he joked that if it went badly we would be conveniently located.” “Nice…so can we do that?”
<Significant pause at exactly 55 mph on southbound 53>
“Mom?” “Oh. Yes. Sure. Lemme think about where we can find one. Might need to be on the way back though, OK?” We had just gone over Rand Rd. and the largest cemetery I could think of that’s on the way, but there’s only an exit northbound. Yep. Put it off a little more…
We exit the highway at Algonquin Rd, make our way to Meacham and head south. I am STILL thinking out loud but my innermost thoughts are “GEEEEEZ why is everyone driving so fast? Does NOBODY’S turn signal work? Who is honking? This merge lane needs to be a lot longer…” Good Lord, this is gonna be harder than I thought…
“Hey Mom? What about a church parking lot? Or just a regular parking lot?” “Um…sure. That should work.” Remembering that Driver Ed teacher’s words again:
Be encouraging and positive. You’ll be scared and you’ll want to put your foot through the floorboards, but remember that they are just as nervous as you are, but YOU have the experience. Keep it together for them. It’ll be ok.
We end up in this parking lot. Yeah, I know. THIS parking lot? Kind of an unremarkable place to learn to drive. I narrate my way through the steps of putting the car in park, turning off the engine, checking mirrors before exiting.
“Exiting?” “Yeah it’s your turn.” “OH!” We both giggle a little and I swear her eyes were as big as saucers and I am pretty sure she’d say the same about me! We go through the checklist of stuff to do before pulling away and she takes her foot off the brake aaaaand… we’re off! All of .5 mph with hands at ten-and-two and we are both giggling like crazy. Approaching the curb, it’s getting closer, closer…
“OK use the brake.” “When?” “NOW!” <stomp>
We both were thrown forward a little. Just a little, enough to send us into riotous laughter!
“Great! Try the gas now, then the brake right away.” <grins large> “OK!”
Vroooom, screeeech, laugh, repeat for 15 minutes as we circle the lamp post medians and successfully avoid them. We switch again and head to the store. We pull up to the stop sign and she is on HIGH alert. Then came the stop light. “LOOK OUT! THERE’S A STOP LIGHT! OHMYGOD MOM WE ARE GONNA DIE!” <chuckle> “Yeah, looks a little different now, huh?” “HOW DO PEOPLE DO THIS ALL THE TIME?!”
She did a pretty nice job for her first time behind the wheel, and I hope you enjoyed my remarkably unremarkable story of her First Driving Lesson. This is my first hide, I hope you enjoy it as well. I would love to hear YOUR story, whether it is your own experience as a parent or as a new driver!