...and Now He Drives!

I briefly mentioned in the post titled "First Accident" that Will has his driver's license.  He took driver's ed over the summer (early June, in fact), but only finished up the road portion of the class in early October because the school got backlogged and didn't get around to scheduling him until then.  Yeah.  I signed him up for SUMMER driver's ed so I could have a full week of early morning road tests done DURING our busy school schedule.  Thanks for that!

Anyways, he completed it just fine and was able to get his driver's license over the weekend.  Today was the first day there was a car available for him to drive himself to school.  We have two cars.  I drive one to work (which is currently a 'weenie-mobile' rental car while my damaged car gets repaired), and the other is for whomever in the family needs it at the time.  Sometimes Bill takes it off into the mountains for adventuring, but usually it is used by Helena to get to and from work.  Now, it is also for Will to get himself to and from school.  So, we have to plan out the week in advance to see where everyone needs to be, and when.  If Helena doesn't work until afternoon/evening shift, then Will can take the car to school.  If Helena works morning shift, Will is out of luck and I drive him to school.

This is not an easy thing for me; letting my youngest son drive.

Fourteen and a half years ago, my youngest brother was 16 years old, and just 3 months into having his driver's license when he was killed in a car accident.  That was a dark and difficult time for everyone in our family and I hesitate to even bring it up, for fear of bringing my mother pain.  I know she reads this blog.

A tragedy like that is something you never truly 'get over'.  Will was only 2 years old at the time, so he never got to know the uncle of whom he reminds me.

Because he does.

There is much in Will's personality that is similar to my little brother, Kris.  Will has a sensitive soul.  He is empathetic in a way that is rare in someone so young.  Kris was the same way.  Sometimes, I even thought his features were similar.  So, I have seen echoes of my little brother within my son as he has grown.

And now he is driving.

It makes me extra nervous, beyond the norm.  Last weekend's car accident didn't help, either.  I wish I knew how long it will take me to become okay with him driving.  Three months?  Six?  A year?  Until he is 18?

Never?!  Gah!  I hope not!

I am grateful for the probationary nature of new driver's licenses here.  Besides night-time restrictions (no driving from midnight to 5 am), he is also not allowed to have ANY passengers other than family members for the first 6 months.  This is supposed to eliminate showboating for peers during the first months of building driving experience.  The woman who issued him his license was also kind enough to remind him that, until he is 18, his driver's license belongs to his parents, who can take it away from him at any time and for any reason.

He drove to school for the first time, today.  He left 30 minutes early to avoid the "rush hour" parking situation at the high school parking lot and texted me upon his safe arrival.  After school, he went to see teachers about improving his grades... and to allow the parking lot to empty out before he drove home.  That will be the routine until further notice.

I can't and won't stop him from driving.  It is part of growing up and I can't deny him an important part of that transition from childhood to adulthood.

But, oh!  It is hard.