Some young people take to driving with ease and experience very few hiccups on the road to earning their license. For others, however, it can be a long, arduous, and stressful experience that tests their self-confidence and tries your patience.
While it’s ultimately your teen’s journey to complete, you can support them as a parent and make sure that their driver’s ed journey is at least a little bit easier.
Help Them Practice
The more practice your child can get behind the wheel, the better. For many teens, driving is a little easier with Mom or Dad by their side. Take them out driving as much as possible and try not to panic when they inevitably make a mistake. If your teen feels like they’re being micromanaged, they’ll only begin to feel more stressed whenever they drive.
Stay Positive
Driving can be a high-stress activity involving an expensive vehicle and plenty of potential danger. It can be very easy to want to reprimand your child for their subpar work behind the wheel. But you need to remain positive if you want them to continue growing.
Do your best to offer either constructive criticism or praise only. Don’t say anything that might damage their confidence and slow down their learning process.
Set an Example for Them
Children model their behavior after you, even if they pretend that you’re the last person they’d ever want to imitate. Don’t let moody teen behavior fool you; your child notices how you behave behind the wheel and learns from your behavior, whether consciously or subconsciously. For this reason, it’s crucial to provide a strong example of safe, sound, confident driving.
Auto Safety Driving School offers one-on-one lessons to new drivers looking to master the skills necessary to earn their driver’s license. Call (813) 875-4809 today to learn more.
