I’m a ways off and obviously may change my mind but I have no intention of sending my kids to drivers ed for the reasons you outlined. It’s so unnecessary and chaotic here, like instantly throwing them into expert level of a video game. If they’re lucky maybe I’ll buy them an e-bike lol.
ETA: I’m hoping they wait until they’re 18+, or near college college age if it looks like they may need a DL then.
the good news is here in MA if they wait until 18 they can skip the mandated 40 hours of practice driving they need to do with a parent/adult! DH is not looking forward to starting that
Oh nice, even more reason to wait! I shudder at how irresponsible I was as a 16 year old driver. I feel fortunate that its really not needed here.
I’m a ways off and obviously may change my mind but I have no intention of sending my kids to drivers ed for the reasons you outlined. It’s so unnecessary and chaotic here, like instantly throwing them into expert level of a video game. If they’re lucky maybe I’ll buy them an e-bike lol.
ETA: I’m hoping they wait until they’re 18+, or near college college age if it looks like they may need a DL then.
the good news is here in MA if they wait until 18 they can skip the mandated 40 hours of practice driving they need to do with a parent/adult! DH is not looking forward to starting that
As someone who has dealt with really devastating car accidents as part of my job, I will absolutely not let my children skip any part of driving training. I will encourage them to wait to get their license and will put limits on where, when, and who they can drive as a teen. But the importance of driver’s ed/a defensive driving course and significant amounts of practice hours will be drilled into them as non-negotiable. The inconvenience of it all could save your child’s or someone else’s life someday.
scm1011, I was the same as a 16 year old. OMG. I did get into an accident only a couple of weeks after I got my license and totaled my car (RIP 1998 Mercury Tracer lol). I made a LOT of dumb decisions. My brain definitely was not ready for driving at 16.
the good news is here in MA if they wait until 18 they can skip the mandated 40 hours of practice driving they need to do with a parent/adult! DH is not looking forward to starting that
As someone who has dealt with really devastating car accidents as part of my job, I will absolutely not let my children skip any part of driving training. I will encourage them to wait to get their license and will put limits on where, when, and who they can drive as a teen. But the importance of driver’s ed/a defensive driving course and significant amounts of practice hours will be drilled into them as non-negotiable. The inconvenience of it all could save your child’s or someone else’s life someday.
Yes yes yes
Waiting until 18 doesn't necessarily make you a better driver. PRACTICE does.
Yes, it can be scary riding with a new driver. But seeing how my 15 year old is improving makes me so glad she's getting nearly a year of supervised driving practice before she gets her full independent license. In talking to her friends' parents, it seems most of them are actually *super* cautious and the total opposite of reckless/overconfident. I actually don't think a brand new, inexperienced driver at 18 would be safer on the road than an 18 year old who had 2 years of independent driving, and formal drivers ed. So much of driving is getting a feel for the road, judgement calls, and developing the intuition and awareness of operating your vehicle with other drivers around you. You don't learn that by waiting 2 years to start. And a lot of states now have graduated licenses that put passenger limits and curfews on driving privileges from age 16-17. It's not like it was 25-35 years ago when we took a couple classes and they basically turned us loose and said "have fun! Make sure you can at least share a seatbelt with someone in the car!"
My view is driving is a life skill regardless of where you live. I was born and raised in NYC and I knew 4 people total in my life that didn't get a license. 3 got them later and it was harder and 1 is still dependent on her husband for everything.
I agree. My H didn't get one until he was in his mid twenties (he spent most of his time before that living in London, where it wasn't necessary) and while he CAN drive now, he is very uncomfortable with it and does it as little as possible. I think learning how to do it when I was younger gave me a very different level of comfort and experience doing it. It is extremely rare that he drives when we're together.
the good news is here in MA if they wait until 18 they can skip the mandated 40 hours of practice driving they need to do with a parent/adult! DH is not looking forward to starting that
As someone who has dealt with really devastating car accidents as part of my job, I will absolutely not let my children skip any part of driving training. I will encourage them to wait to get their license and will put limits on where, when, and who they can drive as a teen. But the importance of driver’s ed/a defensive driving course and significant amounts of practice hours will be drilled into them as non-negotiable. The inconvenience of it all could save your child’s or someone else’s life someday.
Yes. They have to get 10 hours of driving in drivers Ed here, plus 70 hours with an adult (10 at night), and can’t drive with anyone other than family for 9 months. Those all help them get important experience behind the wheel.
While it was stressful, I’m so glad DD learned with me there beside her, and she didn’t go for her license until we were confident she had mastered what we wanted her to as basics to be safe. The idea of her driving at 18 without that time with me is scary. They have a LOT of learning and practice to do.
As someone who has dealt with really devastating car accidents as part of my job, I will absolutely not let my children skip any part of driving training. I will encourage them to wait to get their license and will put limits on where, when, and who they can drive as a teen. But the importance of driver’s ed/a defensive driving course and significant amounts of practice hours will be drilled into them as non-negotiable. The inconvenience of it all could save your child’s or someone else’s life someday.
Yes yes yes
Waiting until 18 doesn't necessarily make you a better driver. PRACTICE does.
Yes, it can be scary riding with a new driver. But seeing how my 15 year old is improving makes me so glad she's getting nearly a year of supervised driving practice before she gets her full independent license. In talking to her friends' parents, it seems most of them are actually *super* cautious and the total opposite of reckless/overconfident. I actually don't think a brand new, inexperienced driver at 18 would be safer on the road than an 18 year old who had 2 years of independent driving, and formal drivers ed. So much of driving is getting a feel for the road, judgement calls, and developing the intuition and awareness of operating your vehicle with other drivers around you. You don't learn that by waiting 2 years to start. And a lot of states now have graduated licenses that put passenger limits and curfews on driving privileges from age 16-17. It's not like it was 25-35 years ago when we took a couple classes and they basically turned us loose and said "have fun! Make sure you can at least share a seatbelt with someone in the car!"
I agree with you both.
I also found my sons driving instructor was better at teaching him than me/DH. All of the classroom stuff is just as important as on the road training. The tips and lessons they give are very useful.
I highly suggest, no one skip the important steps of driving training or permitted driving hours.
My son is a great drivers and he's had his license since January.
1. Rings are not a thing at our school. I don't even think it's offered (which makes sense...nothing that would distinguish haves from have nots doesn't fly).
2. My kids will get their licenses when they can (which I think is sometime around 16? I haven't really looked yet. DD1 has a bestie who is 6 months older than her, so I am counting on his mom to fill me in). We live in a city, I teach at their school, but I think driving is a life skill and I'd like to teach them to do it well.
3. No idea. It blows my mind that I am old enough for a high school kid. And I'm sad when I think about only having her home for a couple more years.
Side Note: I "took drivers ed" in high school, but the driving part consisted of two drives: one around the neighborhood the school was in and one was on I95 and through the drive thru at McDonalds. Then I got my license -- no road test at the DMV. Luckily, my parents insisted on 1500 miles of driving with them before I was allowed to drive on my own and I am a really good and confident driver. I hope to do the same for my kids.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
the good news is here in MA if they wait until 18 they can skip the mandated 40 hours of practice driving they need to do with a parent/adult! DH is not looking forward to starting that
Really… hmm that would be nice. I can’t even begin to guess at the stress levels the practice would put us through.
That seems like a bad idea though. Whether it's 16 or 18 I want my kids to have lots of practice hours with me or another trustworthy experienced driver.
We live in a city and here drivers ed is first classroom, then actual driving. You schedule the actual driving whenever you want. So we are doing a ton of driving with DS in quiet areas before he does his official driver's Ed lessons (which will include things like freeways).
scm1011 , I was the same as a 16 year old. OMG. I did get into an accident only a couple of weeks after I got my license and totaled my car (RIP 1998 Mercury Tracer lol). I made a LOT of dumb decisions. My brain definitely was not ready for driving at 16.
I remember a few days after I got my license my friends and I went on the highway to see if I could get the car up to 100 MPH (I did). Unshockingly, I totaled that car within a year. I'm lucky no one got killed in the interim.
Really… hmm that would be nice. I can’t even begin to guess at the stress levels the practice would put us through.
That seems like a bad idea though. Whether it's 16 or 18 I want my kids to have lots of practice hours with me or another trustworthy experienced driver.
We live in a city and here drivers ed is first classroom, then actual driving. You schedule the actual driving whenever you want. So we are doing a ton of driving with DS in quiet areas before he does his official driver's Ed lessons (which will include things like freeways).
Fair point! I still prefer my kids delay driving until they are at least 18.
That seems like a bad idea though. Whether it's 16 or 18 I want my kids to have lots of practice hours with me or another trustworthy experienced driver.
We live in a city and here drivers ed is first classroom, then actual driving. You schedule the actual driving whenever you want. So we are doing a ton of driving with DS in quiet areas before he does his official driver's Ed lessons (which will include things like freeways).
Fair point! I still prefer my kids delay driving until they are at least 18.
I have no idea what we’ll do. Right now we plan to send him to drivers Ed school at some point. That may not be until next summer though. And we’re the most densely packed city in New England. So driving here is insane. It’s like 3 square miles of what the hell were you thinking? But there are days I can’t drive and it’d be convenient to have him available rather than making H take a break from work to drive.
Post by regencygirl on Jul 21, 2023 17:00:42 GMT -5
I live in a large city, my DS (17) got a ring, as did most of his class, he graduates next year from a private school. I got a ring when I graduated, as did my DH, we both attended private schools. Both DH and I teach in public high schools, majority Title 1 students. I can't remember my students ever purchasing rings, and DH only remembers a few over 23 years. Our students tend to do more around a big prom experience, custom / couture dresses, limo or sports car rentals - it's a huge deal here.
DS is getting his license b/c the school he is leaning heavily toward going to is in the suburbs of our city and public transit is difficult to navigate out there, so we'll more than likely give him a beater car that hopefully makes it through college.