My teen is driving and the stress is driving me crazy (teenage, parents)

[bande1102]

My teen-aged son is driving now and my stress level is through the roof. He got into an accident a few days ago (another driver hit him--not his fault) and now my stress level is off the charts. How do other parents deal with this? My son seems ok and he seems confident, but I still can't help but worry.

[Mattie]

I sympathize, having survived three teenage boys behind the wheel. Knock wood, there have been no accidents or tickets, and the youngest is almost 20. I worried more about overconfidence when they first started driving on their own. We laid down rules, and made sure they were followed. Some things just require experience, such as defensive driving and bad weather.

Here is a good website for suggested rules, and includes a parent-teen contract as an example:

Teendriving.com

[malamute]

Originally Posted by bande1102

My teen-aged son is driving now and my stress level is through the roof. He got into an accident a few days ago (another driver hit him--not his fault) and now my stress level is off the charts. How do other parents deal with this? My son seems ok and he seems confident, but I still can't help but worry.

Driving is about the worst time with a child but you have to teach them and let them drive.

You can take the attitude that it's drive or be driven, it can be safer if you make sure your child knows all the hazards and he or she is the driver versus some other kid that might not be a smart driver --- because they will want to go out with their friends.

You have to make sure they have a good drivers education course so they know as much as they can possibly know about driving and get much practice in. Their first solo drives should be short errands.

It seems to me that kids that there is an age where someone should learn to drive, people I know that didn't drive until they were in their 20s or 30s seem less confident. And the accident will likely have your son more aware, he knows accidents can happen.

[jkcoop]

All I can offer is that the more time that goes by, the less you worry. Just one of those difficult "letting go" moments when you have a teen.

[kahncss]

Originally Posted by jkcoop

All I can offer is that the more time that goes by, the less you worry. Just one of those difficult "letting go" moments when you have a teen.

I'm there right now w/ my 16 yr old driving. This has been the hardest stage of life to enjoy. I'm so like that commercial about the dad talking to the little girl at the wheel and reminding her on safety. When he hands the keys to her, she's still this darling little girl. Then the camera flashes back to him and back to her, who is now a 16 yr old. This is harder letting go than kindergarten was.