Along for the Ride

 I'm going to start this by saying, if you can't laugh when people say nuts- this blog post isn't for you.  

Andrew recently got his permit.  I am the official new driver rider.  Andrew is suddenly willing to go anywhere with me- even a few weeks ago, when I went to a store to buy underwear.  He was willing to drive me, knowing the destination would be totally awkward and uncool.  (I won't lie- that trip was totally a test to see how interested he is in driving.  Pretty interested apparently.  We went our separate ways upon entering the store, but . . . he knew his mom was buying the dreaded underwear.).  

Have you driven with a new driver recently?  Holy smokes it is stressful.  You see so many things you want to warn about (there are other cars braking 1 mile away, the light 3 intersections up is turning red, don't speed in case a mountain lion comes jetting out in front us- they move fast and are unpredictable.) but . . . you can't.  You have to play it cool, like you're totally down with how they're driving, so that they don't get all flustered and mad- and drive even worse.  Also- they have to learn to be aware of other drivers and traffic and lights and objects all by their self, because in a year they will be driving all alone with nothing but God's grace and a Life360 app to guide them (cause it sure ain't gonna be their powers of observation and common sense).  

Andrew has been driving the lawn mower and tractor independently for years.  Those 2 things have led him to be very confident in his driving skills.  Some might say. . . too confident.  Not me.  I wouldn't say that.  His confidence is actually not reassuring.  He also tends to speed.  I am frequently saying, "The speed limit is . . . " and then he responds "OH! My bad!!!!  I wasn't paying attention."  You don't say? 

This morning he drove me to the barn he was going to work at.  It was a rough drive.  He turned right onto a road, turned a bit too wide, then took his foot off the gas, while a box truck was barreling down on us.  He was taking turns fast and slinging stuff around the car.  When I try to point out that . . . that's just not typical.  Like, if I was driving those things would not be slung from one side of the vehicle to the other- he says "Mom.  Yes they would!"  As if I'm the one in error.  

So after I dropped him off, I used the ride home to think of a way to help him drive more smoothly.  I've come up with the perfect idea.  

This is a container with nuts in it.  😀 I put them on my dashboard.  I drove from home to pick him up- and not one nut moved 😀.  It can be done.  I wasn't driving super slowly or carefully.  I was driving like my normal self.  When I picked him up- I kept driving and explained the purpose of this "device." He was like, "Mom.  Why does it have to be nuts?  Couldn't be pennies?  Or something else?"  Nope.  It had to be nuts because they're heavy enough to not get jostled on every bump, but light enough to slide around. Basically- don't be slinging my nuts around! 😀 We watched those nuts the whole way home 😀. They didn't move.  What I want this "device" to do is to make him more aware of how he's driving, hopefully take it a little slower and now I don't have to be a nag.  When the nuts get slung around the container- he'll realize he took the turn too fast.  He's seen I drove without moving them- now he has a goal.  And- let's be real, nuts are funny.