My older son got his learner’s permit today.
I remember very well him crinkling his nose at me and crying as I set him on the heated table to be examined when he was about two minutes old, and this was just a couple of years ago, so I think there must be some mistake.
Sigh.
My dad was my primary instructor. There were good things he did that I’m going to pass along intact. There are other things I’m going to spend a lot more time on, like the running narrative when you’re driving. Your thoughts come quickly behind the wheel, and if you give voice to every single one of them, you might be surprised how many there are. I’ve done that with Nathan a time or two, and he’s eventually going to practice doing it with me as a passenger.
One opportunity Nate won’t get immediately is learning to drive a standard, because I don’t have one to offer him. The first vehicle with a manual transmission that I ever drove was a ’71 Corvette 4-speed with a racing clutch, in the parking lot of the Anniston Bible Church. Naturally, it was a lot easier to stomp it out of the hole than it was to ease it gingerly up to speed. (The latter was very nearly impossible.) I asked Dad why I was learning on such a hard car, and he said “because if you can drive this you can drive anything else you’ll encounter.” Indeed.
But, good enough. There is plenty to work on without rowing gears. We’re going to start out operating at about two-thirds real world pace. And as long as there is consistent evidence that he is listening, I will be patient and understanding, just as my dad was.
Thoughts and prayers.
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We’ve been teaching our daughter to drive for about 8 months. We were amazed at what she didn’t know – simple things like which way to flip the blinker lever when you’re turning. Or even better – this one still amazes me – you don’t get in the left turn lane if you’re turning right. (She really did this. Tried to get us both killed.)
And it’s a shame that this stage of their development coincides with the “I know everything and Mom and Dad are stupid” stage. There have been a few times where she simply would not do what I asked, so I made her pull the car over to let me drive.
It’s getting better, though. She just finished Driver’s Ed at school and got her yellow card, so I guess she’s officially “passed” her driving test. But there’s still some work to be done before I’ll be comfortable letting her out on the road by herself in a few months.
My advice is to bring your patience and your inside voice. Yelling, while admittedly reflexive when you think death is imminent, tends to be counterproductive. Learned this one the hard way.
I’ll take that to heart, Jenny. Thank you for sharing your experiences and advice.