It’s often been said that driving is a privilege, not a right. That’s never been a truer statement as it applies to the teenage driver. Just as you expect your child to do his chores in exchange for his weekly allowance, you should expect some tit-for-tat for driving privileges. Sure, you could make him regrout the bathrooms before you toss him the keys (and he’d probably do it, too), but that wouldn’t make him a more responsible driver – a happier, stickier driver, perhaps, but not necessarily a better driver.
How can your teenager earn those all-important key privileges? By showing a level of maturity beyond his years in accepting his responsibilities that don’t involve your car, that’s how. And you can measure that by how often you need to “talk” or “remind” him… Did you…? Will you…? Have you…? Don’t forget to… Whatever the blanks may be, if your teenager can say, “Yes, yup, you bet, and already did” then he’s well on his way to earning the keys. He understands his responsibilities to you and the household.
That’s good. Because driving is a privilege, and no one is entitled to do so merely because he’s “old enough” to do it. There may be a vast difference between chronological age and intellectual age. And, let’s face it – in the grand scheme of things, a teenager is still a baby, and baby’s still need some guidance. Telling your teenager that he’s still a baby will probably not go over well, but telling your child that he is still your baby will certainly gladden his heart… though he’ll probably never tell you that.
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