My son is enduring a self-induced buzz kill. He didn't pass his test. He didn't even get to take his test. Alas, my boy dropped the ball.
It seems that an appointment is needed to take the test. It states it right on the website in BIG BOLD LETTERS. It states it again on the bright slip of paper he received when he got his permit, and in the book he studied prior to the permit test. I am even pretty sure the woman at the desk told him this verbally at the time he got his permit card, but that is their word against his.
Getting a driver's license is a rite of passage that I feel must be child-driven, no pun intended. Driving is a priviledge that brings a lot of responsibility with it. He got his permit months after his birthday even though he had a car sitting in the garage for five months because he wasn't motivated enough to read and study the book and learn the material. When he passed, he was instructed to track his hours practicing with one of us in the car. I told him all along that this was one of those things that I was not going to handle for him in this new phase of "higher responsibility. "
So when he started mentioning that he wanted to take his test, I did give a few helpful reminders a few weeks ago to check the website to see what he needed to do. I reminded him again earlier this week to double check. I got a little nervous this morning when he first mentioned needing two forms of ID and insurance paperwork. I was even more curious when we arrived for the 8am opening and saw that the DMV didn't open until 9am.
So when the tester came over to our car and started looking for BuzzBoy's name on his list, I watched panic wash over his face. He hadn't set anything up, but rather just picked a day to go. Upon further questioning, he hadn't brought his hourly tracker (which I later found out he had stopped filling out in June despite lots of hours behind the wheel).
I wasn't mad, feeling he had learned a very valuable lesson. That is, until he started yelling at me in front of everyone in line, asking me why I didn't set it up for him properly and why I hadn't checked the website for him.
Oh... No... He... Didn't.
I calmly reminded him that it was his responsibility not mine, and that he can just make an appointment for a future date.
To which he threw his arms dramatically in the air and shouted...
"Of course! It's all my fault. "
Oh... Yes... He... Did.
Lucky for him that there was a crowd, or I might have pummeled him right there. As it was I took the keys and told him to stop the drama queen crap and get in the car. Argh!
I suppose it will be a very quiet night as he rethinks this lesson, and steams a bit. I understand that he was frustrated with himself. I comprehend that he will now be embarrassed after bragging to all his friends about driving this weekend.
Thankfully, he came out a little bit ago and owned the screw-up, and apologized. Let's hope it is a lesson well learned. Maybe it would help if I made him pay me to drive him around the rest of this month? ;)
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10 comments:
Oh but big kid responsibility can be such a burden, can't it? hehehe. I'm sure you handled his melt-down with your usual aplomb, but I'm guessing you were tempted to change your parenting style for a few minutes.
No worries. He'll pull it together and take care of the details next time. It's a good learning experience.
Oh. Boy.
Been there, heard the whining.
So many, many times.
They learn though... some just learn the hard way.
On one hand I feel for him for not getting to take his test. That's the hand that is small and tiny because yeah, it was so up to him.
And on the other hand, the big one, great job raising him to apologize so quickly! So many kids now would have stewed for days, pouting, whatever. Hopefully it is a good lesson learned.
And as an aside, I studied and did everything I needed so I could get my learners permit the second I was able to. I'm glad they make you surrender your lp when you get your real drivers license cause that was the early 90s and I had my hair pulled up in a ponytail with a hot pink holder - so it looked like a hot pink thing was popping out of the top of my head. Hahaha
Oops. :-S
2/3 of our young drivers didn't pass on the first take. They set their appointments and arrived with the appropriate paper work and ID, but didn't pass.
One cried. One swore and sulked for days. Both passed on the second take.
Three down, two to go, one currently in driver's ed.
It all buffs out, eventually.
Oh . . . Oh . . . OH!
Oh, you are a good momma.
Oh dear. Oh my.
Valuable lesson, indeed.
You are a good mama! What a good lesson, learned because of your strong philosophies toward parenting teens.
Yep. Well done. And at least all the stuff you had to do was done. Not like when I went to take mine and Mat hadn't paid the tax (no up to date sticker). Boy was I fuming. I had to pay a fee to reschedule, too.
I think you should prepare for the fact that he might not pass first time. But it sounds like his ego needs some little hits.
I give you a great deal of credit for keeping your sanity, and kudos to him for 'fessing up and apologizing. It totally sounds like something I would have done. With my ADD brain, I was always shooting myself in the foot, as a teen, by being unprepared and confused. (It still happens now, BTW, just not so often.) I wouldn't have yelled at my mom though.
Important learning experiences aren't always enjoyable. That's for sure.
Ouch. (cringe)
A big life lesson, eh? Congratulations to you for staying calm and good luck to BB for the next time around.
So glad I found your new home, I have missed your post immensely.
Sounds as if the waiting till next time will teach him a lesson and also give him a chance to mature a bit. Driving can be a very furstrating business after all.
My youngest is off to take the ACT, fingers crossed he does well.
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