Thomas' First Driving Lesson

It seems like just yesterday that I attended my first in class driving lesson.  It was February of 1983.  I remember that my brother Bill had brought home chicken pox from school and given them to me. But I was bound and determined not to miss any of my driving lessons.  So I went anyway.  Luckily, I had a moderate case.  By April, my sister Lisa took me for my first in car driving lesson.  I drove around the parking lot of Limeridge Mall in our family station wagon.  

Now it is Thomas' turn.  Sunday morning I took him to Lynden Park Mall and he drove our Focus around the back parking lot three times.  He was so proud of himself that he didn't make any mistakes.  Tonight, I drove him downtown for his first in class lesson.  Mike, a nice man with a cowboy hat, registered Thomas.  I peeked into the classroom -- it was packed!  Most of Thomas' classmates are boys.  I don't know whether that's a coincidence or not.

So, he's officially started down the road to his licence.  I don't know whether I'm ready for the questions:  "Mom, can I have the car for school?"  "Mom, can I have the car for a date?"  I don't know if I'm ready to sit in the passenger seat, pressing on an imaginary brake as Thomas narrowly misses a curb.  I don't know if I'm ready for the worrying, the staying up late waiting for him to come home.

But getting your licence is a rite of passage.  All of my siblings and I started at 16.  We loved it!  And the younger you learn to drive, the easier you pick it up.  I know too many people who started later in life and turned out to be nervous drivers.  So,buckle up, Brantford, Thomas is coming!

Note:  Visit http://fatherhood.about.com/od/dadsandteens/a/teach_driving.htm for tips about teaching your teenager how to drive.