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RedDog
03-03-2004, 08:12 AM
I just watched my oldest son pull out of the drive and leave for the first time. :frown:

I can only pray he doesn't drive like I did :checkered:. I use to always drive and ride bikes with the Italian Theory :italy: - if you go fast enough, rear view mirrows aren't ever necessary!

ToonaFish
03-03-2004, 03:53 PM
Prayer may well be your only hope...

Bunches,

Celene 'wanna set up a pool for how long it'll take Tim to go completely gray?'

Fish boy
03-03-2004, 05:55 PM
don't despair Reddog, when I was sixteen I spent most of my time in the back seat. Now if you had a sixteen year old daughter,that would be another story! :)

fish

HyperDonzi
03-03-2004, 06:43 PM
I remember the first day I had my license. I wish I would have been more mature. :(

Surfer
03-04-2004, 07:38 AM
My son's fifteen, and already chompin'. In the boat, there is no mid-range when he's driving. Keep us posted, its just around the corner for me.

MOP
03-04-2004, 08:58 AM
I feel for you! We all have more than fond memories of how we survived that time in our lives. :crossfing

Phil

HyperDonzi
03-04-2004, 02:02 PM
My son's fifteen, and already chompin'. In the boat, there is no mid-range when he's driving. Keep us posted, its just around the corner for me.

Reminds me of my driving. My suggestion, when he gets his first ticket (too me 2 months, how, I dont know) you let him drive to work/school ONLY (BE STRICT ON THIS ONE) for a month or so. Ride with him fairly often.

Cuda
03-04-2004, 04:15 PM
Talk about chomping at the bit, I'd had already bought and sold one car, and bought and rebuilt another before I had a license. :)

Cuda
03-04-2004, 04:19 PM
And here is the fine "dragster" I had when the license came into my possesion. I remeber the first time dad was coming home from work and I didn't see him. I came out of my girlfreind's road wfo, with black smoke rolling out the back. I never saw dad until I got to the house. I saw the school bus for the next month. :(

Darrell
03-04-2004, 04:58 PM
My little demolition driver just turned 20 this month, the last year has been good, but the 1st few involed 3 wrecks, 2 tickets and a pending bogus lawsuit. :splat: However I'm glad to say just a bunch metal was the only thing that was damage. Just try and teach them to allways pay attention and watch what they are doing.

Darrell

P.S. I know she didn't drive as bad as I did, she was not as lucky as I was. :convertib

Formula Jr
03-04-2004, 07:55 PM
You're better off than most. At least he had a chance to see some limitations with fast boats. Its the kids that never saw the ragged edge that I worry about. Whenever I'm out with the nephews, I try to give them as much responsibilty as possible - sometimes a little over their heads, "While I can Watch." Giving a kid too much, while you are there, sometimes is a good thing if you KNOW you are giving them too much. It tends to lessen that, "I know it all," we set kids up with cause we never want them to fail.

Surfer
03-05-2004, 08:20 AM
Tommy, question? Your only a couple years older than my son, but from the sound of your posts, you seem like a real bright guy, a little wiser than most your age. When some old guy trys to give you a little edge (a little advice, cause we already broke it once or twice) how do you deal with it. My kid alway has to learn the hard way. Don't get me wrong he's a real smart / talented guy (kills on a wakeboard), but he still wants to touch the stove rather than take my advice that it's hot.

Ranman
03-05-2004, 09:31 AM
To the parents,

I don't want to answer for Tommy, but I do want to comment.

I don't talk about this much, but I'm not one to hide my past. I'm 29 now and 18 doesn't seem that long ago to me. Going into my Junior year of high school, I was a 3.4 GPA student, I graduated with a 1.9. I was arrested and jailed on misdemeanors twice, and tried for 2 five year felonies. All at age at 18. Oh, and that's just the stuff I got caught for. I went to a rough school and was a rough kidwith little guidance. The stories are endless and I don't have a clue as to how I survived. It wasn't until I was in front of a circut court judge on the 5 year felonies that the light went on. Sentencing was the scariest day of my life. I got lucky though as judge saw something in me and gave me a break. I got 3 years of probation and an exsponged record, none of which I deserved. I had to work for my first year after high school to pay the lawyers and restitution. Finally, I made it to college, got away from my punk friends and successfully completed my probation.

Today, I'm a business professional with a Bachelors degree from Michigan State. I consider anything bad that happens to me as payback for what I did to others when I was younger. If my window gets smashed by vandals, I deserve it, if I lose a wad of cash, It's just a small payment to society.

Anyway, looking back I try to understand what I did and I am at a loss for answers. The only thing I can come up with is my mother was gone and my father worked so much, I never saw him. No one was there to steer me and so I made all the wrong choices. I got lucky, most of my friends from school are dead-beats, dead, or in prison. I guess, my point is, be there for your kids and don't sweat the small stuff. They're going to make mistakes. They're going to think they know it all. Do your best to teach them all you know, but don't push too hard. Find the balance between being a parent and a friend. Your presence, support, and involvement will keep them from from making big mistaskes like I did.

Surfer
03-05-2004, 09:46 AM
I was out on my own at sixteen, no dad, had to learn it all myself, but I never screwed up (ah, never got caught) figured out life, went to college, lifes real good now. My kid dosen't know how good he has it, and its real frustrating when I try to give him something I always wished I had when I was his age.

MainBrain
03-05-2004, 10:09 AM
I rode with Surfer when he was 16. He was a good driver, but had a habit of going through car transmissions.

Ranman
03-05-2004, 10:17 AM
and its real frustrating when I try to give him something I always wished I had when I was his age.

What he wants may not be what you wanted or he may not be to the "realization" point yet..

Things were very different when you were that age, it's not a fair comparison. Today's pressures, situations, and styles are not the same as 10, 20, 30 years ago. Society is waaaay different. We have to account for that. You would be a very different person if you had to grow up in today's world too. It's difficult to dismiss the idea that "nature" plays a role in one's development. You cannot transpose your life's experiences and lessons as the same as your child's. I am very different than my brother (9 yrs older) and sister (11 yrs older). This is because they can remember when we (our family) was poor and struggling. When I was born, I came home in a Cadillac so I don't (and cannot) have a real appreciation for that part of my family history. I would avoid gettiong caught up in how "I" think the kid should act or react and focus on providing the best possible environment for his personal growth at whatever pace that may be.

These are just my suggestions, all I can do is read and respond. I realize I have no idea regarding your specific situation. I just hope I can provide a different vantagepoint or helpful suggestion.


"Hello? Donzi support network?"

HyperDonzi
03-06-2004, 04:26 PM
I also went through a transmission in about a month.

I always listened to what everyone had to say, just somehow forgot it when I was on the roads.

It is hard to go from learning on water to land, water it is a free for all, no speed limits, lot less other people, no pedestrians, on the road, completley different, a lot more that will stay with you for the rest of your life.