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Drivers License : It Could Change Our Lives

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One adult, Four children, Three Two dogs, One cat – three working, two days a week of homeschool co op, four in activities, all social.  The amount of time I have spent in the car every week…well, it makes me dizzy just thinking back on it.  But now, I’m getting some relief!  Please join me in congratulating History Buff on receiving his drivers license this week!

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For now, he’s only driving himself places until I and he are comfortable with the idea of him truly driving (ok, mostly me.)  But that has already taken a load off since he works almost every day.  Woot, woot!

Financially this is actually helping me…he is paying his own car insurance at $72 per month (he already pays part of his phone bill) and I am going to fill up his car one time per month approx $20 for times he helps me by running errands or taking others to an activity.  He will otherwise be responsible for all gas and car maintenance for his car.

So even during the challenges we are facing, some exciting things are happening over here!


8 Comments

  • Reply Sandra |

    Congratulations to History Buff! And, congratulations to you Hope for obviously still being able to enjoy the happy times in your life right now. I know these are hard times for your family, but celebrating/enjoying each and every good thing, keeping busy, and keeping the hugs going will do worlds to help you through this time. They are contagious and a positive attitude will make you so much more marketable. Good luck with all the rest of it. Hopefully, it’s just a temporary setback.

    • Reply Hope |

      Yes, I find I have to focus hard on the good stuff because the storm raging around my family these last few months has definitely made me want to hide under the covers and never come out.
      I find that counting my blessings and there are many helps get me out of a funk. And this is definitely one of those blessings I can count!

  • Reply Susan |

    Congratulations! It is nerve-wracking when they start driving – stay calm Mama.

    $72 a month – that’s terrific! Where I live (downstate NY), basic liability insurance for a new male driver runs about $3000 a year!

    • Reply Hope |

      Yikes! That is crazy! I don’t think we would have been able to move forward with his drivers license if $3000 was the cost. Another thing to be grateful for during this storm season in my life.
      We are taking baby steps. He is driving himself to and from work this week using my car (which he learned to drive on,) and then next week he’ll move into this car (a stick shift which I will be taking him out practicing this week,) and then we’ll see about adding passengers after that. I’m grateful that VA limits the number of non-related passengers they can carry. Makes it easier for me to ease him and myself into the distracting world of passengers.
      But he is a good driver and I know that…else we wouldn’t even be at this point.

      • Reply Walnut |

        Taking small steps is a great plan. Driving is a skill that takes practice and its best to minimize distractions early on. It’s often said that it takes 10,000 hours of practicing a skill to gain mastery, so History Buff is still early in his practice set!

      • Reply Jen From Boston |

        Very good idea to teach him to drive stick shift. Not only is it just a good skill to have, it can save him money in the long run because standard transmission cost less.

        Congratulations to History Buff on his license!!

  • Reply Jenna |

    I’m a firm believer that all new drivers should be driving a manual transmission.
    Purely because it forces you to focus on driving. You can’t be tempted to touch your cellphone, the radio, fast food in the other seat, be distracted by your friends if you are using both hand and both feet to keep the car in motion. Keeps one engaged in the act of driving.
    I’ve switched to a manual transmission as an adult and won’t be going back.

  • Reply Sue |

    Yay for History Buff!!! The best day of my life was when my youngest got his license and I was no longer on chauffeur duty 🙂

So, what do you think ?