Let’s assume for a moment that this is your eldest and first child to get their drivers licence.
For the last 12 months you have been teaching your son or daughter to drive and hopefully pass their P’s test first time. You may have enlisted the services of a Driving School, who has done their best to teach them not only how to pass their test but also be a safe driver once they gain their licence.
Now here’s the crunch. As a parent, no amount of training can prepare you for the day that your first born, your baby gets their licence and “fly’s the coop”. Now they will only come home for laundry and food!
So how do you prepare for this exciting day? The first thing to realise is that they have been well trained over the last 12 months, and have passed their driving test.
I always advise parents that their child has gained their licence and has been assessed as competent to drive unsupervised.
One mistake I find that parents make is to try and restrict their child from driving unsupervised and/or with tight restrictions on where, when, and with whom they can drive.
My advice is to set some boundaries, at least in the first few months until they become used to being a “solo” driver.
For example:
- Make sure you know where they are going and who with
- This is probably more important if they are out in someone else’s car
- Set up a system whereby they text you when they arrive at their destination, and also when they leave their destination. If you know that they are leaving a party say at 10pm and should be home by 10.30pm and don’t arrive in a reasonable time, then something is probably not right, and you should make contact with them and check.
Setting the ground rules early will pay off. I often say to my students “When you get your P’s mum and dad are likely to be a bit nervous at first, and want you to tell them your every move. Look after mum and dad by texting them, they will appreciate it”
Good Luck