Does it get any easier??

[Ranger Mom]

My son got his license today and his grandpa bought him a car...I am having a heard time with this!!

My oldest son got a truck when he got his license (big dodge dualie)...if it got up to 50 MPH it was a miracle. I didn't worry about him that much because of the massive size of the vehicle.

My younger son just got a Honda Accord....it looks SO small to me...kinda like a tin can on wheels (18" ones at that)!!

He is out right now showing it to all of his friends, and I am a nervous wreck. I keep calling him and asking where he is and generally driving him crazy.

Am I abnormal?? I can't figure out why I am so much more worried about this one. Is it because the first one was just more cautious by nature? Is it because the second has an "I am invincible personality" and Mario Andretti tendancys?? Will I always be like this?

Does it get any easier? I have two more coming up...I don't think I can stand this!!!:( :( :(

[bullfrog_alumni_02]

well i can say that he will be safe, i dont know about the worrying part, but my first car was a 1985 fiero, even though he has a foriegn made car, it will protect him and he will 99.9% of the time walk away w/out a scratch, unless some totally freak accident happens involving a 50 ton steel beam falling from the moon and rockets attached to the back, he should be just fine. although i disagree w/ the honda's since they are made in japan, and not helping out the american economy, but whatever.

[vfunk]

my mom was less cautious with me because i was always more careful. My brother had a curfew and i didnt because i was more trustworthy. I think that plays a big part of it. I dont think youre abnormal at all. Maybe its because my mom was the exact same way.

[SintonFan]

Originally posted by Ranger Mom
My son got his license today and his grandpa bought him a car...I am having a heard time with this!!

My oldest son got a truck when he got his license (big dodge dualie)...if it got up to 50 MPH it was a miracle. I didn't worry about him that much because of the massive size of the vehicle.

My younger son just got a Honda Accord....it looks SO small to me...kinda like a tin can on wheels (18" ones at that)!!

He is out right now showing it to all of his friends, and I am a nervous wreck. I keep calling him and asking where he is and generally driving him crazy.

Am I abnormal?? I can't figure out why I am so much more worried about this one. Is it because the first one was just more cautious by nature? Is it because the second has an "I am invincible personality" and Mario Andretti tendancys?? Will I always be like this?

Does it get any easier? I have two more coming up...I don't think I can stand this!!!:( :( :(
.
Those Accords are japanese vehicles that have a great aftermarket to supe them up. "Just say No" to NOS, high flow air filters and exhaust and reruns of The Fast and the Furious(1 and 2). Then you'll be OK. Overall, if he's a good kid you shouldn't have much to worry about. BTW, is this a new car?:eek:
Dang, I had to work at the gin for a whole summer to buy my first car.:(
If he takes good care of it, then great. But in my experience, most kids who have a new car to start off with tend to have a warped sense of what things are worth in the long run. Knowing you RM, you won't have to worry about this.:cool:

[Ranger Mom]

SintonFan, no it's not new...far from it. It's a 1994.

The main reason he got one now is because he will be taking auto tech this year. That class is not offered at the school any longer so he will have to take it at Midland College. He will get out 2 periods early to go to town. There is no way I can take him since I work.

It has the stock motor in it and that is fine with him. It's a little 4 cylinder (whatever that means)!

I can understand the "Buy American" thing. But he has always wanted a Honda and the way I look at it, the only person who made any money off of it this time, was the "American" that we bought it from!

I'm better now, just watching him pull out of the driveway - alone - just kinda got me in the heart for a few minutes.

[PhiI C]

Gee Ranger Mom I wish my two sons had a grandpa or even an uncle or aunt that could buy them a car! Then it wouldn't have to come out of my pocketbook! :)

[Ranger Mom]

Originally posted by PhiI C
Gee Ranger Mom I wish my two sons had a grandpa or even an uncle or aunt that could buy them a car! Then it wouldn't have to come out of my pocketbook! :)

Yes, I thank my lucky stars everyday. This is actually my ex-father-in-law!

My own parents would have a hard time swinging a car for each grandchild.....we are from the "other" side of the tracks!!:D :D

[Greenwood Teach]

When my son got his license back in February, my mom told me that I would never be on my knees as much as I was fixing to be. She was so right. I pray starting from the time he walks out that front door to the time that I hear him come in.

[Old Dog]

Ranger Mom, hate to tell you that it will always be this way! I recall asking my Dad (who passed on many years ago) if he would just quit worrying about me? He said "when the last nail is driven in my coffin, I'll stop worrying about you kids"!

Thanks to genetics, you are stuck with parental worry.......FOREVER!!!!!!! Remember it's worth it just to be called " Mom" !

[Swarm 51]

I remember those days, but for me it was double prayers and double worries as I was raising twin grandchildren, boy and girl, and without the help of their grandfather who died when they were 12. When they first received their license I would sit in a lawn chair in the darkness of my garage waiting to see the car(s) headlights turn into our cul-de-sac and then rush into the house so they wouldn't know I was watching for them. And, the boy was much more responsible at being home before or by curfew than the girl. She tested me, but tough love won the battle. They are now grown and, naturally, I still worry about them. But, I definitely don't miss their teenage driving years.

[District303aPastPlayer]

I got my first car my senior year of HS... 2001 Ford Zx2 Sport Coupe. Now... its in the ICU.. and TOTALLED... gotta love the first 3 years of having a car..

[BrahmaMom]

Welcome to the next phase of parenting! A few suggestions: I had a rule that they better answer the cell phone or call back within five minutes if the call was from me, they had to come talk to me when they came in, they had a curfew (One of my kids was so good, if he got stuck by a train, he'd call and have me listen for the train to prove he was telling the truth) and consequences if they missed it by more than five minutes. They needed to call and let me know where they were, who they were with and who was driving (one of my sons I preferred to drive, one I preferred to ride). One was always hitting something, parked cars, fences, trees; the other had a heavy foot but didn't hit anything. God got me through their high school years without an injury, in response to lots of prayers. If I passed my child and he didn't have their seat belt on, I made him come back home. It just depends on the kid. God's grace gets us through a lot. I have two that are or will be good, if fast, drivers, two who are or will be terrible drivers. The first two take after me. Nothing else matters except that nobody gets hurt--that ends up being the bottom line. Good luck and God bless.

[Ranger Mom]

Originally posted by BrahmaMom
Welcome to the next phase of parenting! A few suggestions: I had a rule that they better answer the cell phone or call back within five minutes if the call was from me, they had to come talk to me when they came in, they had a curfew (One of my kids was so good, if he got stuck by a train, he'd call and have me listen for the train to prove he was telling the truth) and consequences if they missed it by more than five minutes. They needed to call and let me know where they were, who they were with and who was driving (one of my sons I preferred to drive, one I preferred to ride). One was always hitting something, parked cars, fences, trees; the other had a heavy foot but didn't hit anything. God got me through their high school years without an injury, in response to lots of prayers. If I passed my child and he didn't have their seat belt on, I made him come back home. It just depends on the kid. God's grace gets us through a lot. I have two that are or will be good, if fast, drivers, two who are or will be terrible drivers. The first two take after me. Nothing else matters except that nobody gets hurt--that ends up being the bottom line. Good luck and God bless.

Thank you BrahmaMom....somehow I just don't feel so alone now!! You could have been talking about My children!!