Too overprotective?
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Anonymous
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My wonderful 18 year old niece is staying with us this summer for an internship. She is very responsible and great with 4 YO DS.
DH and I work FT, and DS has a field trip coming up that requires a parent to drive the child (no bus). My niece offered to take DS on the field trip. I was fine with it at first, but now that it is actually happening, my instincts are kicking in, and I feel like it is TERRIBLE idea to have my niece driving on unfamiliar highways with a young child in the back seat. She would be in a caravan with other parents, so it is not as if she would have to navigate, but I am still extremely worried. At 18 she's still a new driver, and she's never driven in this area. There is no way DH or I can do the field trip. DS will have to miss it. Some other kids are missing it as well, so he will have care that day. I feel bad that DS will miss this special day. It is supposed to be a beautiful and and they are going to picnic etc, and I know my DS would really enjoy it. Do you think it is the right move to call it off or am I being too overprotective? |
Anonymous
| Get another parent to drive your child and maybe your niece. Your niece is not experienced enough for this. |
Anonymous
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I think you are being too overprotective. Unless you have a reason to think she is a bad driver, I would let her take your kid.
My 17 year old is a new driver but a good one - I trust him with his younger sibling and to drive friends around. He is careful and smart. He knows how to use google maps and doesn't text and drive. |
Anonymous
| No way. I would never let a 18 year old, no matter how responsible, drive my kids around on highways. |
Anonymous
this |
Anonymous
| At 18, I was driving four hours away from home regularly to upstate NY, and all over NYC, NJ, and LI. I'd been driving for two years - I literally got my permit on my 16th birthday. |
Anonymous
| At 17 my oldest was driving his younger siblings. I don’t see a problem with it. |
Anonymous
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Many 18 year olds are in the military, fighting wars.
You are not giving your niece enough credit. So sad for your son to miss this special day because of your paranoia. |
Anonymous
| Daytime driving wouldn’t bother me. |
Anonymous
| I think she would be fine but I get the worry. I think if you know another family maybe ask if they can drive your niece and son. Seems like a crappy school trip that kids with 2 working parents can’t attend |
Anonymous
| I would ask her parents what they think of her driving. I have always been a cautious, safe driver. My mother used to say driving with me (as a 16 year old) was like riding with my grandma! I used to have to say a little prayer before getting in the car with college roommate, on the other hand. And even now my husband drives me nuts with his level of testing fate. |
Anonymous
You people are nuts. Why let anyone drive them around?!? |
Anonymous
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What kind of field trip doesn't provide transportation for all the kids?!
I'd let her take him. 18 is not 17 or 16. Following in a caravan is much safer than driving alone. |
Anonymous
| Ask her mom how she feels about her daughter driving your child. That will be the key to the answer. |
Anonymous
This is common at small preschools. At 19 I was driving a school/camp van. OP only you know how much driving experience your niece has. |