The first time behind the wheel
I drove my daughter in an empty parking lot outside of town
This was to be her first attempt at driving around and around
I gave her the keys and told her to try her driving skills
Her first moves really made me nervous and gave me the chills!
So I decided to let her learn on her own for a little while
I got out of the car and told her to practice and she smiled
She gave it the gas and then swerved all about
I was trying to be calm and tried hard not to shout!
So I told her that I was going for a stroll and I’ll be back in a few
I figured we were in an empty parking lot so what could she do?
After a few minutes I heard her shouting, “Daddy come get me.”
She managed to drive the car off the lot and right up a tree!!!
The car had a smashed bumper and scratches here and there
So I drove it back on the road while she stood scared and stared
She seemed nervous and shaken from the results of the crash
I senced this and tried hard not to say or do anything rash
I got out of car and embraced her with a hug and a big smile
She said “It’s not funny!” but she felt relieved after a while
On the way home I was grateful because if she got hurt I would have been very sad
It was another test for me as a father and certainly a GREAT DAY to be a Dad.
Share
Print
Save
Follow
To answer your question. I learned by observing my father drive over his shoulder. He let my twin brother and I drive his brand-new 1954 Ford Crestliner stick shift in my grandfather’s hay field individually and alone when we were nine. I had a great drive and waved at my grandfather when I passed him. When I drove back to my dad, he was yelling at him, "Why are you letting those kids drive!" I was 17 and after drivers' training before I drove again.
I put my younger twin brothers on go carts at four. Tom drove well on his own, passing me with Tim on my lap who was having trouble straightening out after turning the curves at first. At the end of our paid five laps (1 mile), Tom had trouble stopping and made an extra lap because, "I couldn't reach the brake!", and crashed into the back of another go-cart while the guys grabbed the back of the cart and pulled it to a stop.
Ron
Love ya!
Jane