My son has been issued an instructional permit. He is well aware of the fact that he is only allowed to drive with me in the seat next to him. Before he got his permit, he was caught taking the car out while I wasn't home. He lost possession of the keys (he would listen to music and work on the car in the driveway) He had other restrictions placed on him. I was just informed by another neighbor that she saw him last week. Driving alone and talking on his cell phone! How do I make him understand how unacceptable this is!
2007-07-28 06:57:27 · 15 answers · asked by Ms. Gump 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Adolescent
No - it isn't a joke. Ironically, he completed his driver's ed training this morning!
2007-07-28 07:05:45 · update #1
Until he is 18, you can take away his car, his license, his driving permit and let the DMV and police know this. Driving is a privilige not a legal right.
Take away the car keys and he only drives with you to keep him in practice.
Buy a club for the steering wheel or one for the brake pedal and keep the key yourself hidden.
Otherwise any death he causes on the road, him being underage, you are responsible to the public for.
2007-07-28 07:47:59 · answer #1 · answered by Michael M 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hang in there, Mom! You are right, this needs to be dealt with now. I assume from your question that a father is not in the picture. I congratulate you on raising a son alone, and knowing what he is up to. Sounds like you are a good parent.
How open is the communication you have with your son? Plan A would be to sit down with him and have a one on one conversation. Don't yell. Explain to him your concerns and give him a chance to discuss the options. Ask him what HE would do if he was in your position.
Decide together on some restrictions. Let him know that the keys will be in your possession until he proves himself reliable, then keep them with you (all sets). Map out a time line of what needs to happen (legally and in the family unit) before he is allowed to take the car on his own. Then stick to your guns.
Your son needs to know that you are his authority. If he won't settle for a civil, two sided conversation, by all means, take the license and the keys. Make sure he knows the punishment for driving without an operator's permit.
Keep up the good work, Mom, you are doing fine!
2007-07-28 14:24:10 · answer #2 · answered by mizmead 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My brother took my car while I was gone (my dad wouldn't let me take it with me for the summer) and ended up getting in a wreck. He was 15. He spent 3 1/2 months in the hospital. 4 weeks 3 days in a coma and another year and a half in a wheelchair. I can send you a pic of the car if you want it....if he doesn't have keys then he can't drive it. Also, maybe make him show you he is more responsible before he gets his D.L. even if that means he is in college or out of your house first.
2007-07-28 14:12:37 · answer #3 · answered by jss671 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you're doing a lot of things right so far. The only thing you can do is to continue to take away his driving privelages until he understands that he has to earn the right to drive. Maybe start taking away other privelages until you've made an impact he can understand. Such as taking away his cell phone.
Also you might try enrolling him a safe driving course through your insurance company. As most teeager probably would he'll most likely loathe the idea of going but at the same time he'll learn something.
Hope this helped.
2007-07-28 14:03:45 · answer #4 · answered by spookyone1 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Take his keys and his phone. Then I would take the permit from him as well. He would not be allowed to drive again until he is of legal driving age.
You are doing a great job! Just stick to your rules and eventually he will grow up and realize what a big mistake he made.
2007-07-28 16:33:51 · answer #5 · answered by sweetie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would take a way the privalige of driving. Since it is at that age if they are not responsible enough to respect their own parents and they are not responsible to drive. It is all up to you but I would rather be safe then sorry if you know what I mean. Don't let him get out of control show him to be responsible and hopefully he will learn from his mistakes. If he every gets in an accident I would make him pay for all the damage and hopefully you can stop it before something bad happens to him.
2007-07-28 14:17:30 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Take the keys (all sets of the keys) away from him along with the cell phone until he understands the seriousness of the offense. Then take the keys with you when you leave the house.
2007-07-28 14:10:48 · answer #7 · answered by WVPV07 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cut up his permit immediately and take the battery out of his cell phone and temporarily "freeze" it (call the company and tell them to block incoming and outgoing calls and text messages and any Internet use on the phone) and you may want to change the keys on your car, get new ones, but I think that is expensive. You need to take drastic actions before he gets himself killed. Tell him as long as you take the car, you won't have any privileges. No TV, Internet or anything. He'll understand soon enough.
2007-07-28 14:46:11 · answer #8 · answered by Jasper 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Take the keys away for 2 weeks.
2007-07-28 15:16:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Take the permit, cut it up, throw it away.. and tell him now he has to wait until he is of legal age on his own.. You cannot trust him.. so the only thing to do is to take the driving privileges away. You can even call the local law enforcement office, tell them of what has happened.. or at least tell your son you have called. but take the permit.. If that were my son, I would have taken his permit, and told now he has to wait until he is 18.
2007-07-28 14:32:17 · answer #10 · answered by tootsie38 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋