Help your teen be safe behind the wheel

This post is made possible with support from the Center for Parent and Teen Communication, part of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. All opinions are my own.

​It is hard to believe that my son is ready to learn how to drive. It seems that it was yesterday when I was changing diapers and watching him take his first steps. They grow so fast, and sometimes parents might not be ready for the new changes happening in our teenager’s lives.

​I knew the day was coming; I just wasn’t really prepared for all the things that need to take place for my son to learn to drive. Now that he is taking college classes, it is necessary for him to learn how to drive and start being more independent. And learning how to drive is a teen milestone. This is a huge age in one's life that marks the first real taste of independence and responsibility. But this process can be equally stressful for both parents and teenagers. Having the correct tools and support is key to making this transition a little easier. Using this resource can help us both feel a bit more comfortable during the driving phase to ensure he learns what skills and knowledge are required of him for his future self, as a driver on our roads safely.

Parenting a teenager is exciting and challenging at the same time and I am very happy that I found a website that provides me with advice that helps me navigate my way through my son’s teen years. The Center for Parent and Teen Communication (CPTC) helps parents raise teens prepared to thrive.

CPTC provides science-based strategies to support healthy family relationships. They are a team of people that provide advice and resources for parents so we can raise kids that can go off independently to the world and achieve their goals and dreams. They actually have information about teen driving that is very helpful. After visiting the site, my son and I started working on our driving plan and designing our house rules for him to follow once he gets his license and his first car.

To get great tips and videos for communicating with your teen, you can sign up for CPTC’s 100-word, daily parenting tip newsletter for parenting tips in small bites!

Do you have a teen that will be reaching the age for certain milestones? Check the CPTC’s website and let me know your thoughts!