If you found out your 15 year old had taken the car while you were gone?
What would you do if you found out your 15 year old had taken the car while you were gone? Would it matter if they were gone for 10 minutes as opposed to 1 hour? Would it depend on far they drove?
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15 years old & driving a car?? There are 2 senarios I would use here. I say this from past experience as my girls are grown now & have families of their own. I never pushed the issue with the getting the license thing & driving the car thing" I always thought that if my child was ready to learn to then fine- they're going to learn to the right way. And they did by using Drivers' Education in High school. When it came to me driving with them, yes I was nervous- only because they were the ones behind the wheel & I wasn't. So coaching & support were in order & that's the route I stuck with while teaching them to around our small town. Once my daughters passed r ed & got their rs' permits- that was good enough for them. They were not in a hurry to push the license issue until they were quite a bit older- 18-19. By then they had moved out of the home & into their own homes so I never worried about the above issue.
My 2nd reaction & probably first- would be this: I'd ground them for a month!! I still think 15 yrs. old is to young to a car. At 15 most kids aren't responsible enough to a car. I'm now going through this with my granddaughter, who thinks it's okay to at 15. Her Mom & I both say NO.
Since I don't have a 15 yr old (my daughter is nine) I believe that I would probably start off with talking to them and finding out why they took the car in the first place. (Was it a emergency or joy ride? Was a friend in trouble or did they not get a ride from you to someplace they wanted to go?) I would say by the way this question was posted is was more of either a joy ride or they didn't get a ride to somewhere they wanted to go. I would start off with a talk of what could have happened to them. (Accidents, killing themselves or the consequences of killing someone else, getting stopped by the police and possibly being put in jail, etc). I would then ask them what they thought that they're punishment should be. We would discuss a proper punishment for the act. I would definately consider what the child loves the most and take that away first. I would also consider letting them see the results of their recklessness. You can take them to a hospital to visit someone young that has suffered a serious car accident (if you know a health care professional they could set this up for you). It really doesn't matter whether they were gone a hour or all day, the act itself is the important thing. Before I said a word to them I would calm down and have all of my facts, the order of the punishment(s) involved in order to sound like you have given this a lot of thought and that you are very serious about the situation.
Wasn't it an underaged 15 year old r that identified the white pick up truck that kidnapped that 13 year old last month. The police said they would look the other way on his driving underaged since his detailed description of the kidnapper led to the capture and arrest of that pedifile!
I think every 15 year old is different and may or may not be ready to . I think you should always follow the law, but thank God that kid was driving behind that school bus that day.
I would be furious and would have to find good way to punish him, which at age 15, who knows what that would be
huggles
Marie
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It would depend on the situation and the child. If they took it without permission then I'd be furious and yelling at first but then I would talk to them about the problems with what they had done. It depends the most on the child and their maturity. My oldest son, I let at 15, but he could get his temporary license at 15 1/2 anyway. My next son, there is no way he was ready. It doesn't seem like it would matter, but one year later, he was also ready.
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Becky
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In NC it is against the law a 15 year old to be driving at anytime without a licensed parent in the vehicle. Taking the car without permission and performing an illegal activity (driving with no license) would not be tolerated at all in our house. Dad is a highway patrol. However, if my child took a vehicle without permission because of a medical emergency ( going to the ER or meeting an ambulance)...or some other drastic unimaginable situation that sometimes occur, then I would have to be more lenient on any punishment... But to go out joyriding, or to pick up , or run to the store....nope, my child will lose all driving priveledges until the age of 18. I may let her get her DL when she leaves for college.
However, my 13 year old can . She has n the truck in the field and dad has taken her to the driving course to show her "agressive driving techniques"... i don't know, daddy - daughter bonding time... I can just imagine her driving backward through the orange cones. I remember when I lived in Mississippi, we were able to get our permit when we were 14 and I was a licensed r at the age of 15, and I have been driving ever since.
I live in NYC much transportation. I don't know how to even thou there are 2 cars here. I have a 15 year old. He does not yet. Anyway, here I set rules and boundaries and I am pretty firm about them. If he ever took the car without permission, I would do what I did when he had people over when I was not home. I took all his things, computer, radio, tv, games, clothes and everything in the room and locked it up for a year. All he was allowed to do was, and read in the room. I would supply clothing. The reason I didi that was so he knows there cause and effect.I was not playing. He knows not to break rules because, I mean business.
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tiffysmom
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I just wish he didn't trust me so much. Mother Teresa
If my 15 year old daughter drove my vehicle she would be grounded and not allowed to be left alone for a very long time. I also think the above of not allowing her to get her rs license until she was 18 would be another good option. I certainly hope I never have to face this situtation!
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Right now, outside of the police car, we only have one vehicle so if I'm gone it's usually with me. LOL Otherwise they would be grounded and I would probably make them wait another year before being allowed to get their liscense. The next time I had to leave them alone all vehicle keys would be with me.
Wow!!
then fine- they're going to learn to 
, or run to the store....nope, my child will lose all driving priveledges until the age of 18. I may let her get her DL when she leaves for college. 
I remember when I lived in Mississippi, we were able to get our permit when we were 14 and I was a licensed 
and read in the room. I would supply clothing. The reason I didi that was so he knows there cause and effect.I was not playing. He knows not to break rules because, I mean business.
of not allowing her to get her 
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