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in every issue the l ast word m y son starts
driver
?s education next month, making this my third run through this process. my first two experiences were with my daughters, but this time, i will be sitting alongside a kid who grew up playing super mario kart. for those of you who have not parented this stage yet, let me explain what you have to look forward to. the first time behind the wheel, most kids are too busy figuring out the mechanics of the
car
to frighten you too much. thankfully, all of my kids were well versed in how to set up the radio presets, how to move the six-way seats, and how to set the temperature controls to their liking. new
driver
s usually start out in their own subdivisions or a local empty parking lot. they awkwardly transition from the gas to brake pedal, make super wide or curb-riding turns, and try to apply their
driver
?s ed lessons in real time. the speed of traffic is usually less than 25 mph, so it?s easy for both the student
driver
and the parent to adjust. as your children progress through their classroom work, they begin to realize that you might bend the rules of the road a little and often comment when you are
driving
. ?mom, you are supposed to stop at the line completely and then move up to the corner before making a right turn.? from that moment on, your
driving
skills are constantly critiqued, and it?s better to just let them drive. unfortunately, that means your student
driver
may need to start running errands with you. once my kids were old enough to stay home alone, errands had become my quiet retreat time to listen to my music and go at my own pace, complaint free. now you will be at the mercy of a teenage uber
driver
whose sense of direction is questionable. to make sure my daughter knew her way around town, i asked questions like, ?do you go north or south?? she replied back, ?mom, no one talks like that. it?s just left or right.? i guess in their life experience, no one does talk like that. these are kids raised with gps, who never had to read an actual map. while you may feel safest
driving
with teen
driver
s on bright, sunny days, that doesn?t give them much variety for
driving
conditions. hold onto the passenger seat, mom and dad. you will be riding shotgun in the dark and the rain. did you ever wonder what those handles were for on the interior ceiling of the
car
? now you know. night
driving
with student
driver
s is not for the faint of heart or for those who like nicely manicured nails. i spent 10 hours of night
driving
digging my nails into the dashboard while trying to remain casual about it. ?mom, you don?t have to hold onto the dashboard,? my daughter said to me. when it is your turn to drive the
car
pool for your student
driver
, i don?t suggest letting him behind the wheel while his friends are piled up in the back. pictures of him from the back seat will eventually wind up on his friend?s snapchat story with the caption, ?fearing for my life!? before you know it, the big day will come. despite your fears and doubts, your child will be ready to take his
driver
?s test. after gathering all your paperwork, you get in the long line at the department of motor vehicles. you can always tell who the new
driver
s are at the dmv?the only ones happy to be there. an instructor with the same demeanor as roz from monsters, inc . will take him out to your
car
to drive. your child comes back with a smile worthy of an orthodontic model, giving you a thumbs up. he passed. for a moment, you are relieved. you can check off another milestone and smile along with him. that is until he asks to borrow the
car
for his first solo trip. ? the view from the passenger?s seat by pam molnar 1 0 8 b r p a r e n t s . c o m | j a n u a r y 2 0 1 9
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