I just got a substantial bit of "freedom" back - son got his licence today

Just thought I would share.....

Our middle son got his driver's licence today YAY!!!!

He is 18 and a half, and used to say "17 is waaaaay to young to be driving" blah, blah, blah.

Of course, meanwhile, for the 18 months that he could have had a licence I have been driving him to five sporting "events" each week, training and games. The games have been as far away as Toowoomba and Redcliffe, so it means an hour's drive to arrive an hour before the game for "bonding and pep talk etc", 90 minutes play, 15 minutes half time. We would often be away from home for nearly six hours for an away game across town.

Then he has chiro and physio visits (not every week, but fairly regularly) and the "can you drive me to Katherine's house" at least three times a week, or driving him and collect her and dropping them to the movies, shops and then doing the pick up when they are finished. Her parents did some trips too, but I got the lion's share.

Then there is his part time work, and often one or two midnight shifts a week. Most of this driving was done by me, and of course, his 100 hours was mostly with me.

I know I have waffled a bit, but he is on a midnight shift tonight and HE HAS DRIVEN HIMSELF!!!! I can go go bed and not have to get up in my jammies to get him.

ABSOLUTE BLISS ;)

And of course, when he drives Katherine home at night, he doesn't have me sitting in the car too :p so there will be substantially more romance involved from now on.

Only downside was my automatic thought when I got home to pick up the phone and call Mum to tell her he has his licence. I keep reaching for the phone to call her, but of course, she is no longer with us. It is these "landmark" things that I would normally be bursting to tell her that bring me down with a thud.

Anyway, life will be rather different for me because it seems I used to live in the car.
 
I will probably get more organised. I no longer can say to hubby "I haven't had time to do anything today because I have been running kids around".

Hubby has been on 11 months' leave and due back at work next week :eek:. He KNOWS how much (little?) I do but if he goes back and doesn't like being there, I may well be looking for a part time job :D.

Interesting times ahead :).
 
Wylie, you've just described my life up to about 5 weeks ago when my son got his licence.

I had that aaarrh feeling too, and am now I'm at the stage where I'm asking him to do things for me :p.

I'm actually surprised how little I am worrying, but then he and his friends tend to leave their cars behind on Fri and Sat nights and catch cabs or mini buses instead.

I even got a text when I was out on a Sun afternoon asking if it was safe to drive, as he'd had a few drinks the night before :eek:.

So no, not all young lads are hooning or drink driving. I think many now are well aware of how easy it is to lose your licence or worse (the ones that care anyway).

I understand how you feel too about not being able to share with your mother. I have a feeling this doesn't completely leave us. My MIL told me she still feels this way sometimes and her parents passed away quite a few years ago.
 
ABSOLUTE BLISS ;)
Your driving schedule was just exhausting! No wonder you're feeling all blissed out.
wylie said:
Only downside was my automatic thought when I got home to pick up the phone and call Mum to tell her he has his licence.
Hang in there, wylie. She's watching, and she already knows anyway. But I know it's not the same, and I wish I could ease your pain, my dear. Hugs to you.
Hubby has been on 11 months' leave and due back at work next week :eek:.
Oh, that will be a shock to everybody's system! I hope he doesn't find it too painful.
 
I can relate wylie.

Before my son got his license, I had to drive him to work in the city ( I live in the burbs) which is/was a good 45 mins/1 hr driving time. Getting up at 4.30 (or thereabouts) to get him to work on time while he slept in the car, lol.

Ah, the things you do for your kids.

Regards
Marty
 
yay for you.

# 2 stepdaughter couldn't get her's soon enough and has been driving for years.

#3 stepdaughter, aged 19, suddenly realised her 50 hour "L"s run out in July and, after just realising 2 months ago that perhaps she does need her licence after all (after years of declaring that buses are perfectly fine) and if it runs out she has to do 120 hours starting from scratch.

#1 stepdaughter (aged 23) got 42 hours on her 50 hour "L"s then gave it away despite our frustrated attempts for her to see the light and just damn well finish the last 8 hours. last month she finally realised that she needs her licence and has to do 120 hours. biting our tongues from saying "told you so" and not volunteering in a hurry.

personally i think 120 hours is over the top.
 
# 2 stepdaughter couldn't get her's soon enough and has been driving for years.

#3 stepdaughter, aged 19, suddenly realised her 50 hour "L"s run out in July and, after just realising 2 months ago that perhaps she does need her licence after all (after years of declaring that buses are perfectly fine) and if it runs out she has to do 120 hours starting from scratch.

I couldn't wait to get my licence, i walked EVERYWHERE!

I got my "Ls" on my 16th Birthday, my Red "Ps" 3 days after my 17th and my Green "Ps" 3 days after my 18th - although because i moved to Victoria i am back on my Red "Ps" and can't get my full licence until i'm 21 :mad: (although upside is i don't need to do any more tests whereas in NSW i had a test for "Ls", Red "Ps", Green "Ps" and my full licence)

My sister however, only bothered to get her Red "Ps" because her "Ls" was about to run out (from what i recall?) and only went and got her Green "Ps" because i got my Red "Ps" :D
 
dont go celebrating too early wylie.
Once they start having to pay for allllllllllllllll that petrol themselves they might get rid of the car real quick:eek:
 
Increase in time but an increase in worry if your son drives anything like I did at that age :rolleyes:

Yeah, I was going to say, things to have on next shopping list: a GPS tracking device, a tachograph and a taxi style surveillance camera to see what went on in the car while you weren't looking!

Cheers,

The Y-man
 
It is wonderful when they have those late night shifts and you don't have to get up and collect them, especially when they often don't leave at the time they are supposed to.

Although now you will go from being a taxi driver to a constant worrier when they are on the road. Even if they are safe drivers, there are many that are not, making the roads a dangerous place for everyone, but even more so for the young as they have less experience.
 
Half your luck, my daughter has failed her log book test twice, and of course it is all "my fault", damn teenager. I can't wait eithier, it has cost me a fortune in driving lessons, as I do not cope well with her driving I end up yelling and screaming and carrying on like an old washer woman when I normally never raise my voice. So whilst I cannot wait for her to actually be able to drive independently I also think she is not really ready to be driving unsupervised anyway.
 
My parents never drove me anywhere. I've always loved cars, though, and had my L's on my 16th birthday, owned my first car (saved up and paid cash) at 16 and a half, and got my license 3 days after my 17th.

And never looked back.
 
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