I've written about the "lasts of the last" as my youngest child finishes activities during her senior year of high school. They are not only her lasts but ours as well since she is the third and last child. But today I want to write about a first. At 17 and a half, she is driving to school, by herself, for the first time. Before I finish writing this, she should be there -- and should have called me to let me know she arrived safe and sound.We've had a struggle getting her to drive at all. My other two could not wait. Carrie has done everything possible not to drive. But, finally, with daily volleyball practice over, she took her driving test last Friday and she passed. She cried all the way to the DMV. And, this morning, she was crying when she left the house. Fear is a powerful thing -- but also a powerful motivator. We all know that a healthy dose of it can keep us on our toes -- and being on our toes while driving is necessary at all times. We've tried to impart to all of our kids that, most of the time, you only have to look out for what you are doing; while driving, you have to be respo
nsible not only for your actions but also for the actions of everybody else -- because people can be idiots while behind the wheel.I'll admit I've been aggravated with her lack of driving. Sitting in the school parking lot, waiting for her for thirty minutes -- when I didn't know she had a meeting or volleyball ran late -- is quite annoying. Trying to figure out how to get her where she needs to be and my elderly mother where she needs to be at the same time has been frustrating on more than one occasion. I probably picked on her -- mostly jokingly -- too much about it -- and there were times I was genuinely upset, however, I'm the sort who believes that everything happens for a reason and, for some reason, Carrie was not meant to drive alone before now.
So, today was the day.
And, by the way, she's there.
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Congratulations on getting her behind the wheel! My daughter was the same way - I couldn't figure out why. I'm not even sure she totally understood her reluctance either. She was fine driving with one of us in the car, but didn't want to get her license. I finally had to tell her that I was no longer going to arrange my schedule around hers - that if she wanted to go somewhere and I was busy, that was just too bad. That finally seemed to do the trick! I still remember the first time I watched her turn out of the driveway on her own - ugh!
ReplyDeleteAint it just "worry, worry, worry". One thing or another. Good to hear she is tackling the process.
ReplyDeleteI told Carrie something similar -- that I'd take her to school and any place she "had" to go -- but, for anything fun,she'd have to bum a ride off of somebody. It didn't really work that well, though, because she's a homebody like I am -- it suited her not to go anywhere!
ReplyDeleteYeah, worry all the time but, somehow, you have to push it to the back of your mind -- or you lose what mind you have left!