by Katherine Miller

Created on: October 15, 2009   Last Updated: October 18, 2009

Teenager! Been there, done that! I honestly think those were some of the hardest and most exhilarating years of my life. You could do anything and if you were smart, there really were no consequences, except for maybe a talking to once in awhile from your parents.

Nothing much has changed for most teens and the world keeps turning, and teens keep thinking that it is their right to behave how they want.

Well now I am a parent of teenagers, past, present and yet to be, I understand the full impact of what they truely are capable of.

Manipulation is key! Firstly, the age to drive in the USA is way to young, we are still getting report cards on them, yet we will give them the keys to our second biggest life expense and say go for it. Are we crazy. Well simply, Yes! But just because we are crazy and the law says they can get their learners permit at 15-1/2, doesn't mean that they HAVE TO!

If your teen has shown you that he or she is obviously trustworthy, good grades, excellent behaviors at home and elsewhere, then sure. But just because they turned the magic number does not mean that it is an automatic event to drive. Consider all the factors involved, cost of lessons, fuel, insurance and lastly just pure sanity. So why do we let them manipulate us into letting them get their licenses. Well because they usually ear bash us for months, prior, during and after, giving us sob stories like, but EVERYONE is getting their license, I am the ONLY one without a LICENSE. Boo! Hoo! Yet so many are driving and they shouldn't be and why is that? Because parents are not strong enough or willing enough to say NO. Teenagers have no rights when it comes to giving them things that really only impact their lives socially, which is what a license does. My oldest son did not get his license till he was eighteen, most of his friends were driving around at 16, but because I would not let my son drive around with them, they all came to my house and hung out. None of their parents ever called wondering where their 16 year olds were late at night. In California the law is that (Taken from the CA DMV Website)

Effective January 1, 2006, a new law will increase driving restrictions for persons under the age of 18 who: Are issued a provisional driver license (DL) on or after January 1, 2006, or Already hold a provisional DL issued on or after January 1, 2005. Provisional Driving RestrictionsYou must be accompanied and supervised by a licensed parent, guardian or other licensed driver 25 years

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