Parenting in the age of COVID

[MimosaDef]

Sorry for further derail, but one of the most obvious best things about my move to Prague was the fact that I essentially never need to worry about driving, parking, car maintenance, etc.

I think about that literally every day.

@superuberbob can feel me.

[superuberbob]

I absolutely love it. It saves money and makes life way less stressful.

Plus, pay the equivalent of $160 per year and you have unlimited public transport within the city.

[freddbird]

At least Wifecrab can drive the oldest around now.

[Melkerson]

@Surf

I would be thrilled if my kid is willing to wait till 18-19 to drive. Have to imagine not driving at 16/17 adds a nontrivial amount to your life expectancy, those kids brains hardly functioning

100% this.

I will fucking love it if my kids don’t want to drive at 16.

[LFS]

@Melkerson

100% this.

I will fucking love it if my kids don’t want to drive at 16.

How old are your kids?

I was raring to go when I got my license at whatever age I was allowed in Massachusetts. I think it was 15 1/2 or 16? Anyway, my parents got me a car, and I immediately set out to learn how fast it could go whenever I had the chance. Two weeks later I got busted doing 73 in a 40 zone (and the 40 zone was a gift, it was actually unmarked so the cop could have hit me with reckless driving on top of the speeding). Anyway, as you can imagine the shit hit the fan and my parents took away my license. Two weeks after that, they were like “this is a punishment on US” and gave it back to me.

Point is, after driving your kids hither and yon for 16 years, the prospect of having that relieved is an appealing one.

[Melkerson]

@LFS

@Melkerson

100% this.

I will fucking love it if my kids don’t want to drive at 16.

How old are your kids?

I was raring to go when I got my license at whatever age I was allowed in Massachusetts. I think it was 15 1/2 or 16? Anyway, my parents got me a car, and I immediately set out to learn how fast it could go whenever I had the chance. Two weeks later I got busted doing 73 in a 40 zone (and the 40 zone was a gift, it was actually unmarked so the cop could have hit me with reckless driving on top of the speeding). Anyway, as you can imagine the shit hit the fan and my parents took away my license. Two weeks after that, they were like “this is a punishment on US” and gave it back to me.

Point is, after driving your kids hither and yon for 16 years, the prospect of having that relieved is an appealing one.

They’re 9 and 7 now. So we have a long way to go.

In the Melk household, Mme Melkerson does most of the driving around, so I’m relatively spared. Nevertheless, I can definitely see the appeal, but I’d strongly prefer the hiring a part-time driver solution that I described above to having them drive themselves around.

[LFS]

@Melkerson

They’re 9 and 7 now. So we have a long way to go.

In the Melk household, Mme Melkerson does most of the driving around, so I’m relatively spared. Nevertheless, I can definitely see the appeal, but I’d strongly prefer the hiring a part-time driver solution that I described above to having them drive themselves around.

You’ll see. At some point your kids will get social lives on top of all the other stuff they’re driven to now. It’s nuts.

[zikzak]

My parents solved the problem by saying no whenever I asked them to drive me somewhere. Then I either found a way to get there on my own or I didn’t go.

[cassette]

I had a learner’s license at 15. Still walked and biked most places.

[Hallia]

Mine is only 17 months so I have long time before I have to worry about driving

[Fatboy8]

I have friends in Los Angeles. They’re a mixed couple. Their 21 year old son doesn’t want to drive because he’s frightened of getting shot by police if he gets pulled over.

The crazier part of this: that son has several black friends the same age that also have the same issues and haven’t gotten licenses yet.