I am a big mean mom..

[TheIncredibles!]

I am 5'1. My first car was a Mustang. My second car was a Sunbird Turbo GT. Both convertibles. I managed to drive them just fine

Yes we paid for DD's permit. I consider this to be part of growing up and it is IMO a necessity here. If you live in a city where people rarely drive I can understand not thinking it's a necessary part of life but we life in the country and I am tired of driving kids all over. It will be very convenient when she can finally drive on her own in a few months. However this learning stage is tough to get through. If they would only allow the adults to be a little tipsy it would be much more tolerable ... JK

 

[bdcp]

We paid for both our boys licenses, lessons, cell phones, insurance, clothes etc until they graduated college. Both had their licenses before they were 17. They're 31 and 33 now and successful adults. I don't see driving as an option. It's something most everyone needs to know how to do.

 

[robinb]

I paid for the permit, the lessons, the license and the car insurance. It was important to me that my daughter (1) learned how to drive and (2) started to drive herself places like swim team practice. Not only did it make her more independent but it took a lot of the PITB driving off me.

 

[NAB]

Oh, I agree a girl can drive a powerful car..look at Danica Patrick. I should have added that she is 90 lb soaking wet and I don't think she's got the temperament for it.

Plus, I don't think she'd be able to see over the steering wheel lol

My daughter is 17 as well and just got her G2 , she looks 12 and very shy I didn't think she would want to go for her license. It is really funny to see her drive. Always have to rejust everything after she drives in my car.

My son we always knew he would get his right away and I'm not as worried when he is out driving but with her I'm always wondering and happy when she gets home. Really I don't need to be but I am.

 

[Christine]

Agree with others on the girl thing too.

I came of age in the late 70s. I learned to drive in a Ford LTD which was like a boat. I drove a Ford F150 pickup truck to school. It also had a camper on the bed of a truck. I weighed
about 100 lbs. Granted, I was somewhat tall, but I had many teeny-tiny friends that were driving their parents "muscle" car. Most of these cars were HUGE and had V8 engines.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

We paid for all of our kids to take a driver's ed course and paid for their licenses.

 

[design_mom]

My son is the same age as your daughter (he'll be 17 in less than 2 weeks). We paid for his Driver's Ed class and his permit/license. Around here, driving is a necessity. I preferred for him to learn now. (After age 18, you don't have to take Driver's Ed classes.)

I have not, however, bought him his own car. When he drives, he has to borrow my car or DH's. Many of his friends got a car of their own right after they got their license. I am also sometimes a mean mom for not buying him his own car.

 

[mombrontrent]

I paid for my son to get his learners and take a young drivers course as his 16th birthday gift. We gave him my dhs old car and he has to pay for the insurance and gas for it. We do give him gas cards and pay for repairs as such as birthday or Christmas gifts now that he is 18. When my dad turns 16 next year she will get the same birthday gift.

 

[Marchand63]

I am 5'1. My first car was a Mustang. My second car was a Sunbird Turbo GT. Both convertibles. I managed to drive them just fine

Yes we paid for DD's permit. I consider this to be part of growing up and it is IMO a necessity here. If you live in a city where people rarely drive I can understand not thinking it's a necessary part of life but we life in the country and I am tired of driving kids all over. It will be very convenient when she can finally drive on her own in a few months. However this learning stage is tough to get through. If they would only allow the adults to be a little tipsy it would be much more tolerable ... JK

I bet she would be fine but in our case, no way was my DS getting his mitts on our 1965 convertible mustang. Now if like you he bought his own - AWESOME!!

He could drive the PU all day

 

[monarchsfan16]

My mom split the cost of drivers ed with me. I think she paid for my license, and I know she paid for my insurance through grad school.

 

[HarperLeigh]

Yes, we absolutely paid for our daughter's driving test/license and her Behind the Wheel class, the same as with her brother.

 

[HarperLeigh]

We paid for our son and daughter to take drivers ed ( segment 1 &2). plus paid for their driving test and license. Plus, we bought them each a car. my son is 19 and daughter is 16. We will pay their insurance until they have a good job or out of college.

ETA: a lot of my son's friends waited until they turned 18 to get a 30 day permit and get their license.

We are doing the same.

 

[L&Lfan]

All I can say is that in 1975 my parents paid for mine. You could be 15 to get your permit in my state back in the day.

(But I don't think you're mean at all.)

 

[CdnCarrie]

Also much easier to learn as a teen than an adult. My BF never learnt as her parents discouraged it when we were in HS. Yet they encouraged her brothers to get their licenses.
Love her to death but its annoying that I always have to drive when we go out. Sometimes her hubby drops her off. She lives in the suburbs where transit is hit and miss in the evening if she wants to go out and husband isn't home to drive her. She's scared now to go. Easier to learn when you're young and fearless.

Not sure what size has to do with it. I've driven since the 10th grade and I'm like 5 ft 2.

 

[HarperLeigh]

Also much easier to learn as a teen than an adult. My BF never learnt as her parents discouraged it when we were in HS. Yet they encouraged her brothers to get their licenses.
Love her to death but its annoying that I always have to drive when we go out. Sometimes her hubby drops her off. She lives in the suburbs where transit is hit and miss in the evening if she wants to go out and husband isn't home to drive her. She's scared now to go. Easier to learn when you're young and fearless.

Not sure what size has to do with it. I've driven since the 10th grade and I'm like 5 ft 2.

OP doesn't drive, either.

 

[Allison]

Of course I would. I can't imagine not. In fact, I would be telling them they have to go do it.

 

[texaslover]

My daughter is going to be 17 in a few weeks and she has all of a sudden decided she wants to get her drivers licence.

She asked if I would pay for her beginners and test and I said no. To me, driving is an option, not a necessity and I think she should start to have to pay for things.

We still pay for her cell phone and any other expenses she has. She does have a job and pays for her clothes but that's because she is a shoe and clothing horse. She has sooo many clothes lol

Also, if she drives our car after she gets her license she won't have to pay for insurance because our insurance covers the car, not the driver. We'd maybe ask for gas money once in a while.

In all honesty, I don't want her driving our car at all. It's old, held together by rust and is very powerful. I always think of it as a boys car because it does have a ton of power lol

To practice driving, my dad and one of my brothers has offered to take her out in their cars.

So, am I a meanie?

My son got his license the day he turned 16 and we paid for all of his preparation. We actually did parent taught drivers ed which was cheaper but took a lot of time and staying on him about the online part. The only stipulation was when he could drive he could get a job so he started working and paid for his own gas, etc. My ex did buy him a car, I couldn't have afforded it so he was going to take my old one if his dad didn't get him one.

I was so ready to stop being a taxi service that it was an easy decision!

 

[iivye]

Daughter is 14 now and I plan on paying for the permit and test. I'll even pay for drivers ed if they offer it in high school still. I already have an old car for her to use. I'm excited to have someone that can run errands for me and having her drive to school will save me a half hour on my commute to work!

 

[Bilberry]

I would pay. It's a good life skill being able to drive. It's also helpful to have another family member that can run chores. At least that is how my sister viewed it when her oldest was old enough to drive. She was excited, less driving for her!

 

[Aliceacc]

Around here, a licence is pretty much a necessity.

To be honest, I was happy to pay for the permit and Driver's Ed. The more practice they can get with supervision, the more likely they are to survive their teens. At least I'm confident they're good drivers-- I'm not sure I can assume that about whoever will be driving if my kids don't. I wanted my kids to learn early, while they still felt they had something to learn. The older they get, the less I seem to know in their eyes. We started on the way home from DMV in an empty school parking lot, progressed to the lot behind Sears, then to some wide streets, then some normal streets, then the parkway. I drove with both of them as often as I could, imparting as much wisdom as I could-- like the rule that says there's no such thing as one kid riding a bike or one kid playing ball-- you see the first kid and you look for his buddies.

A big, powerful car means lots of car between her and whatever she hits (or whatever hits her.) I was only too happy to pass my minivan on to my daughter a few weeks ago-- lots of car behind her if she gets rear ended.

So, while I wouldn't dream of calling you a "meanie" or any other name, I will say we have made different parenting choices. If I were you, that line in the sand would be the phone or the clothes, not the driver's license.