The Joys of a teen-age driver!

My daughter is a newly licensed driver. She's really excited about driving. I'm excited about her being able to drive herself where I used to have to drive her. That's a lot of time in a week--in a typical week, it's probably at least 2 hours of driving time for me. That's the good side.

Now for the not so good side. Yesterday I got home from work and found no car and no daughter. Hmmmm..... wonder where she is? So, I call the trusty cell phone. No answer. I text her. No response. Thirty minutes later, I call again. No reply. I'm now wavering between wanting to ground her until she's 90 and wondering if the next time the phone rings it's the police saying she's been in an accident. She finally calls me back and lo and behold she went to see "Up" by Pixar. There was a group of kids who didn't have classes so they all went to the movie. Since she had wheels, she didn't bother to call me. New rule--Just because you have the keys to the car does not mean you do not have to check in!!! Check-in is now mandatory or the keys to the car mysteriously disappear forever or until Mom's frustrated with driving you everywhere again.

So, today I'm on my way home from work. I get a call. "Do you need the truck this afternoon?" She's asking because I'm driving the Vibe today and the dealership is picking it up to do some warranty work. She is driving the truck. No, I don't need the truck this afternoon. "Why?" It seems that a group of them want to go do "something". They don't know what yet and she wants to drive. In this state, a newly licensed driver cannot drive her friends in the car unless a licensed driver over 21 is in the passenger seat. Unless she's been holding out on me, none of her friends are over 21 . I point out that it's silly for her to drive all alone and would she please catch a ride with those kids who have had their licenses long enough to actually drive a group of teen-agers. That comment was not well received. She still has the truck because she's still at school. So, I'm waiting to see . . .

I'm not so sure this independence thing is all it's cracked up to be. I really like knowing where my children are 24/7 and I can see that with keys to a car, I'm really not going to know that fact anymore. I guess the control freak part of my nature is going to have to learn to live with it.

Now for the other not so good side. Do you know how much it costs to insure a teen-age driver? !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

We actually changed insurances recently because we flat out couldn't afford the insurance we had once my daughter started driving. We're now paying about $100 more a year than we were before but that includes a 3rd vehicle and the teenager! Luckily, she's a good student and gets the good student discount as well as being a girl!!! In two years, I have a BOY who will need to drive!!! AARGH!! I'm going to need a second or third job!!!

So, for now, I'm living on the edge of enjoying being able to send someone to the store and worrying sick about where she is and if she's safe!!