Teenage Drivers

Teenage drivers are everywhere, particularly in my house. Now before anyone thinks I’m a grouchy, know-it-all old man, let me explain. First, I am not old. Secondly, I actually wanted my kids to get their licences as soon as possible. There, I said it. Believe me, driving these kids all over the country side to visit their friends or attend different functions throughout southern Alberta got old real quick. Being able to sit in my own comfortable living room chair a few nights a week has been wonderful.

As soon as the twins turned 14, my darling wife and I were pressing them to write the test for their learner’s licence. I was amazed and a bit confused when the kids seemed so lacksidasical about getting their licence. Those who know me may think there is nothing new with the confusion, but to them I say… well… never mind – I can’t remember.

The first Saturday after I turned 14, I was down at the Registries Office, bright and early, ready to ace that exam. Bright and early meant about one o’clock in the afternoon, so it took a while to get a seat to write. I did manage to pass on the first try, much to my parents chagrin, but that’s another story. With my kids, it was totally different. It was a push to get them to even look at the Driver’s Manual, even when we said we would let them borrow the car pretty much anytime. I know, I know; fibbing to the kids isn’t the best parenting method, but boy, does it work well!

My daughter had her Learner’s first. The day she passed the test, we registered her in a defensive driving course and we had her out as much as possible, teaching her the bad habits we have accumulated over the last score of years.  We had to give the instructor something to work with, didn’t we?

My son wrote his Learner’s Exam quite a while later, but again, we had him registered in a driving course and out driving as much as possible. I know he came back from the classroom part of the course saying he had a couple of wrong answers on a quiz. Chiefly, the part about speeding when you pass someone on the road. He told his instructor that “that was the way his parents drove and what do you mean that’s not right?”. I’ll have to have a word with him about when it’s appropriate to pass on the knowledge we’ve given him.

Just to let you all know, the vehicles have survived the process, for the most part. It was a close thing for the kids, but they’re okay as well. I know the van is a bit skinnier than it was when it rolled off the assembly line and the garage door frame is a bit wider. There is a new paint scheme on the bumper of the car as well – sky blue with a streak of dark brown, also from the garage door frame. You know, I didn’t get angry at all with them. As soon as I thought about giving them heck for not watching where they were going, I remembered all the things I did whilst learning how to drive safely. The things the twins have done so far are really minor! Please don’t ask my folks – it’ll just bring back bad memories…

We are happy to announce that both of them passed their Driver’s Exam the first time! So now they will get a year of practice before we teach them how to REALLY drive in Alberta. Yep, every little chore that needs to be done with a vehicle, we’ll leave for the kids. This will include getting milk from the store, running their little brother to wherever he has to be and generally being our little gofers. Life is good!