My eldest daughter (who will be 18 in just a few short months) went on her first day trip out of town with a friend driving a week or so ago. I know it sounds as though I am a nervous Nellie of a mom—but I wasn’t really ready to let that happen!
There are so many horror stories, and so many teenage driving accidents! The protective mother in me really doesn’t want to believe that my baby and all her baby friends are actually old enough and responsible enough to drive 65 miles away to spend a day at the beach. Never mind that I am pretty sure my daughter is not into drinking and such (at least that one isn’t) and they are reasonably responsible, mature, “kids”—it is still so incredibly hard to let go and allow such a grand adventure. I also know in my head that there isn’t really much “allowing” for me to do. If my daughter is going to be ready to take on the world as an independent adult in a matter of months (and not years), there really isn’t anything I can or should do to hold her back.
Still…cars, kids, winding roads, safety. I was not ready. They did fine. They wore their seatbelts and took plenty of pictures with the digital camera so I could see them having good wholesome fun with their picnic on the beach and the building of a fort out of drift wood. And, I know in my heart of hearts that I cannot protect and shelter her from all risk and danger for the entirety of her life. I learned that lesson years ago—or at least I thought I had! I don’t really want to keep them tied to the apron strings forever, but I don’t want them to become a teenage statistic either—ah, the dance of gradually letting go and letting them grow up!
Also: Teenage Driving–An Introduction
To All Parents With Teen Drivers