That's the message I sent a friend yesterday after the first time I sat in the passenger's side as my teen daughter drove my baby (the Aspen). My daughter had a newly minted Driver's Permit and wanted to break it in, so she drove us from the BMV to a shopping plaza a few miles away.
The whole time going "OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD." And me, trying to be calm, but internally going "OH MY GOD." LOL.
(incidentally, I have not been purposely ignoring my blog; the other day was my first full day out of bed. After my last post, I got sick, then I hurt my back, and then got sick AGAIN, and still am sick. It's been insane here. I've slept a lot, LOL, and still feel exhausted!).
So, DD is driving, and I'm clutching the door, but talking calmly to her. "Try to stay in the middle of the road." "Watch those mailboxes." "Slow down a bit." "You're doing great."
And as I'm speaking, I'm thinking about how this is all kind of a metaphor for the years ahead. I want her to try to watch out for the roadblocks ahead, the ones that can really hurt her--the mailboxes, the telephone poles. To try to pay attention to the things that come up--the pedestrians (!), the animals, the pretty views. To try to take the middle ground and not get too hung up on being on one side or the other. And most of all, to be sure to slow down and enjoy the ride.
I don't say all this, of course, because I'm too darn busy thinking "OH MY GOD" while she's driving, LOL. She didn't do too bad, but we had a few scary moments where she didn't realize a light was red and when she drifted to the side of the road.
I know we have many months ahead of us--white-knuckled months--but she's a good, smart kid, and I'm praying she'll use the good sense we've worked hard to instill in her. And in the end, she'll end up as a smart driver and a smart adult.
And my car will emerge unscathed ;-)
Shirley
I'm having the exact same experience LOL!
ReplyDeleteMy son has driven quite a bit in his grandpa's truck on a country road. But there's something about doing it legally, in our SUV, among other people, that is a bit (?) frightening.
I'm thinking I can leave most of the instruction up to his driver's ed teacher. Then he tells me on his first drive, all she does is text and talk on the phone.
What's wrong with this picture?!?
Having school teachers do this instead of how we currently have to go to a for-pay school would have been a ton better IMHO. I could have used the 400 bucks for other things too.
Goodness, Cathy! That's a terrible Driver Ed teacher (definitely not setting a good example!).
ReplyDeleteDD drove my truck again today but was much better. My nerves are intact ;-)
My dd is 19 and a pretty good driver, but I still stress the whole time I'm riding with her!
ReplyDeletePeg
LOL I'm going through the same thing this month as well. #2 just got a learner's permit. "Stay toward the center of the road." "I know the driver's ed teacher told you to stop by the stop sign, but you can't even see oncoming traffic. Pull forward." I won't be driving my Mustang for a while as long as I'm being chauffeured around in our daily driver.
ReplyDeleteLOL, Peg and Michelle! It's stressful, isn't it? She's getting better, so I'm not biting my nails as much. But I'll be glad when she's in her own car and my new one isn't the one she's practicing on!
ReplyDeleteShirley