There are many things you might do as a parent to stay close to your family members. You can arrange date nights with your spouse or significant other. You can set up family game nights where you all play some board games or pick movies to watch.
However, staying close to your teens might prove challenging sometimes. Teenagers often push your boundaries. That’s a part of growing up.
You will probably teach your teen to drive at some point. When you do, that’s a time you might grow closer together. That’s especially crucial if it seems like you’re drifting apart. We’ll talk about how teaching your teen to drive might serve as the catalyst for you to stay close in the post below.
First, Teach Your Teen About Driver Safety
2021 saw 127,000 injuries from drivers running red lights, and that number stays high with every passing year. You might see similarly alarming numbers from distracted driving. Wrecks happen when an intoxicated driver gets behind the wheel as well.
Many parents worry about their teen learning to drive for these reasons and similar ones. The open road gives teenagers a chance to exert their independence and take another major step toward adulthood.
However, getting a license and driving for the first time might also cause their parents heart palpitations. If you think about your child out on the road and operating a multiple-ton vehicle when you can’t even get them to do their homework or clean their room, you might worry they’ll make a mistake and seriously injure another driver or themselves.
When you’re getting ready to start teaching your teen how to drive, first, you should sit down with them and have “the talk.” You’ll probably have many such serious talks with them around this age.
Compared to the others, the talk about responsible driving shouldn’t seem too difficult. Stress to your child that you’re trusting them to borrow one of the family vehicles. Maybe you are even giving them a hand-me-down car and buying a new one once they get their license if you can afford that.
Either way, you should make sure your teen understands that driving, while exciting, also carries an inherent danger element. They might roll their eyes at you when you talk like this, but it’s crucial that they understand why you feel this way.
Take Them Somewhere You Can Be Away from Other Cars
When you give your teen their first driving lesson, find somewhere apart from other drivers and traffic. You can let them get out on the road with other vehicles eventually. For now, it’s best that you pick a spot where you can show them the basics with no distractions nearby.
A deserted parking lot often works well. You might use a church parking lot when there’s no service in session. You can use a deserted mall parking lot or one near an abandoned factory. Many businesses have shut down in recent years, and you should find a location with no cars around relatively easily.
Show them the basics, including putting the car in drive, operating the brake and gas with their foot, checking your rearview and side mirrors, and so forth. When you do that, you might talk to them about what it was like when you learned to drive.
You might mention who taught you these same skills. Maybe your parents did, or perhaps you took a Driver’s Education course. Relay some of the helpful tips and fond memories of your experience while learning to drive.
Conversations on the Go
One of the most valuable aspects of this experience is the opportunity for real, uninterrupted conversations. Without the usual distractions of phones or other family members, you have time to talk about all sorts of things.
Sometimes you might chat about school or friends, and other times you can just enjoy comfortable silences. These moments of connection are priceless, especially during the teenage years when kids often start to distance themselves.
Life Lessons Beyond the Road
Teaching your teen to drive also opens up conversations about broader life lessons. It’s a natural opportunity to discuss the responsibility that comes with driving, the importance of good decision-making, and even basic car maintenance. These discussions go beyond just driving and touch on important life skills.
Navigating Challenges Together
Of course, it won’t always be smooth sailing. There will likely be moments of frustration on both sides. Your teen might get flustered trying to parallel park, or you might raise your voice when they take a turn too sharply. Working through these challenges together can teach both of you patience and how to communicate better under stress.
Celebrating Milestones
As your teen progresses, make sure to celebrate their achievements. Whether it’s mastering a tricky intersection or finally conquering parallel parking, acknowledge their hard work. Maybe treat yourselves to ice cream after a particularly good lesson, or let them choose the music for your next drive. These little celebrations keep the experience positive and give you both something to look forward to.
If you have several kids, you will go through this experience with each one of them. You might find that you enjoy teaching them a skill you know they will use. You might teach them some tips that will make them a better driver. You should also tell them they can always ask you any questions as they get better and more confident behind the wheel.
Much like teaching your son to shave or your daughter to apply makeup, you’re marking small yet crucial milestones that will eventually lead to them striking out on their own. It might make you tear up thinking about it. Parenting has many small joys, and the time you spend teaching them to drive certainly belongs on that list.