Should I make my teenager drive?

I don't think you should make her drive. When she gets a little bit older and is out of high school she might change her mind about driving. Even if she decided not to ever drive I am sure she will be fine as long as she is living inn a place where she can take a bus.

Wow, with all the teenagers dying and begging to drive, yours does not want to drive. I would glady trade places with you. As soon as my son turned 17, hes been asking me every darn week! Ive already told him NO but he refuses to stop asking. Good luck with this one, from a fellow mom.

Like Skinnychick said, she'll drive when she's read AND that day may NEVER come..I'm almost 38 yrs old and have NEVER had my license...I manage just fine (though admittedly its a little harder now that I'm in the country but even still its doable..) I think if you MAKE her you'll be setting yourself up for a bad scene on many levels..I'd just leave her be and let her do it at her own pace.

She will drive when she is ready. Your right when you say an unsure driver is just as bad as a reckless one. She will eventually drive when she gets sick of taking the bus. But I would definitely leave it up to her.

I would make her learn and get her license. That is not to say that she has to drive, but she should know how and be able to if the need arises. There are a lot of things our kids don't want to do but as parents we make sure that they do the things that are important for their future. In my mind, this is one of those things. As she gets more comfortable behind the wheel she will start driving when she is ready. And I don't think you should rush her to do so. But I do think that having the skills and a license is important

do not force her - i was 18 before i got my license - and it was more from necessity. we had moved frrom a suburban area with a bus stop on nearly every other corner, to a very rural area 15 miles from anywhere. it's the job thing i would be concerned about - though she concentrates on studies, and probably does well, and wants to go to college - that's all great. unless she in inconveniencing you by needing a ride to go everywhere (it doesn't sound like it), i wouldn't worry about one less driver on the roads. ;) but aside from a little help with spending money, or simply to save for a grander use - a job gives a teen some skills she can't get from books. it sounds like she knows what she wants right now, and in the near future - you are blessed for that - most teens are so confused at this age, and tend to make the wrong choices, or let their friends and family make their choices for them.

My daughters don't drive or feel the need to drive. The youngest is almost 21 and her boyfriend is getting his license this week and he is 21. There is no need to rush. My older daughter is married and almost 30. She doesn't drive and feels there is no reason to drive. I learned to drive when I was very young on a tractor, but didn't get a license until I was 19. There was no need to drive. Please don't force your child to drive, as she can take the bus. There are to many people driving now and gasoline is $4.00 a gallon in my area. Why should a teenager add an expense to the household expenses that is not necessary now?

I had the opposite problem. My father, by the way, never drove, nor did my mother, so I would have been the first person in my family who drove. I never had that much money to either drive or rent a place at the same time. Everyone took me around, and when I got the nerve to take lessons, the lady in whose house I was boarding in said I was too irresponsible. Now I was very responsible, but I had a past. I took lessons later, but I never used them. My husband threw away my license so now I have to save up to get a new one. You do not not only someone who will be besides the wheel, but also the means to pay for the insurance, etc. If your daughter does not want to drive, don't force her. I was forced or kept from driving, and that impacted my income earning. Since your daughter wants to go to college close to home and get a job where she can take the bus, she does not have to worry about that.

as a mother, i think if my daughter can handle good driving why not, because that's one of the ways how she can develop her self-confidence, that if she can think that she can really do it, then let her do it..but of course, as a parent we should have to tell them the right way how to do good driving, it's not only for our good but it's for their safety..God Bless mom..

I would wait till she feels she is ready. I didn't drive until i was 20 and it was pretty much forced on me. To this day I wont drive unless I absolutely have too then I am a nervous wreck. Two of my sons still don't drive they are 21 and 20. They have no desire or need too . I would never force them too unless they wanted too.

im 18 and i dont feel the need to drive, i think that for most teens its more of a indipendance thing than anything, but i alredy have prety much all the indipendance that i want and i think that its the same for your daughter. If she is a great student then she probably already has her own goals set up in her mind and driving isnt a top priority. The best thing you can do is to just not make a big thing out of it, I got realy anoyed when my mum kept saying 'when are you going to have leasons' or 'il booke you in with a driving school' and that just realy got on my nerves. so just dont worry about it im sure that she will get into it when she is ready.

I do not believe that anyone should be force to drive. She is only 17, she will probably change her mind later on. But this is definitely something that a person needs to feel ready for.

I dont think you should MAKE her drive. I think letting her know that it is ok that she is afraid and let her go at her own pace. When she is ready she will come to you and want to drive! I didnt have an interest in driving until I was 17 because I was scared. I only set out at 17 to get my licence so in an emergency I would know how to drive. Then once I did start driving I enjoyed it!

we have different interest as an individual. what ever we have we should be respected by others. much better if you won't let her drive because of her mood. it is hard for her to drive without he concentration. she has fear to drive. it is not advisable unless you train her more.

Personally I think that you should have your daughter at least get her liscense! For safety reasons... She never has to really drive. But at least if something happened she would be able to do it!

If she doesn't want to drive then I wouldn't make her do it. My husband's stepmom never got her license. Something happened when she was young and it scared her and she just never wanted to get them. She has people come and get her and take her to work and bring her home. She had two kids and managed to get everything done that she needed to without having a license. I enjoy having my license but I don't think people HAVE to have them if they don't want them. Just give your daughter some time and she may change her mind sometime soon. If not, that's fine too.

I got my licence at 16 but I didnt really care about driving. I love to drive now. I guess if she has a plan and it is a rational one then you should let her go with it. I know in some citys there are lots of people that dont drive and it all works out. If you are scared to drive then it can be a really bad experience and she should know if she can handle it.

Yes, she should learn how to because one day it will be important for her. Plus, if she wants to go somewhere such as a trip the buses may not take her there. Plus if she already did driver education, why not try to get her driver license. Therefore, I think you should encourage her to get them, and perhaps have her cousin talk to her about getting them. Pablo

If you live some where you don't have to drive to get around don't worry about it. If you don't have a bus system though then it'll be a necessity at some point. Personally I wouldn't be able to live with out my car and it'll be easier now to learn than if she tries when she's older. Maybe if you just have her drive with you.

I have a son 32 a daughter 28 and a son 21 this year I have seen that they all learned to drive my oldest son was 17 my daughter was 18 and my youngest was 18 he was the only one who did not want to learn, but I was so worried about him going out to see a film and walking that I wanted him to drive as it was much safer. He is glad now he as he went to college last year and there is no way he could have got there without a car and where he works now he would have to get about 4 different buses to get there it would take him more than an hour and it only takes 20 min in a car. I did not learn to drive until I was 30 and I have always wished I had done it when I was in my teens, it is so much easier with a car to get places.