Remember when you brought that little bundle of joy home from the hospital. You would get so excited for all of those little mile stones like the first smile, sitting up, those first steps. Now, your baby has reached another milestone. He or she is now a teen – a licensed driver at that! You’re very excited for them, but also nervous. As a parent it is your right to be nervous and turn into a broken record. After all you’ve been a driver for a lot longer than your teen has. You know you have to and before you do read over these tips so handing the keys over to your teen with peace of mind.
Talk and Set Limits: Just because the kids can head off on their own now, without you being in tow, doesn’t mean they should have free range. Touch base with the kids. Make limits and boundaries on how often they need to check in with you. Find new and fun ways to engage and encourage an open conversation about driving concerns he or she might have.
Trust: It is important that the teens know that you trust them. Make sure that they know you trust the choices that they will make while they are out driving. On the other hand, make sure they are clear on what the consequences are if they are not using good judgement. If you’ve demonstrated safe driving behaviors, your teen is more likely to follow your lead. Every time your teen takes the wheel, give a reminder to buckle up, stay away from the phone, call after arriving at the destination, and be home by curfew.
Need a little more info before handing over the keys? Read the rest of my article on Milnes Ford.
Leave a Reply