One of DC friends failed the learners exam five times. Had to take a remedial class twice to pass. Then two years to pass the on road portion. It happens. This is an intimidating area to learn to drive in.

Anonymous wrote:FFS, OP. My wife has a hard science Ph.D. and no driver's license. Smart has nothing to do with it. Sheesh.

I am sorry if I misworded the title. I should have said ''suited''

Honestly, speaking from experience, sounds like your teen may never be a skilled driver and you should move somewhere with buses/trains/bike lanes/a street grid that’s walkable.

I am exactly like your teen, always have been, and I’m 40 with a masters degree in computer science (so, you know, reasonably “smart”). I think I’m missing the spatial awareness part of my brain. I do have a license, but I almost never drive and when I do I never go on highways. I’m very happy living in a walkable, transit-accessible neighborhood of DC.

Weird title OP

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You should have some idea by now of WHY your child isn't doing well with this. Vision? Poor spacial skills? Lack of practice? Anxiety?

I have a gifted and learning disabled teen, and I know driving will pose a problem because:
1. lack of motor coordination
2. problem with assessing distances
3. executive functioning deficits
4. slow processing speed
5. anxiety

His IQ is in the gifted range, but for driving, it's not going to compensate enough. Like me, he'll have to practice for a very long time before he gets it

The solution is to PRACTICE MORE.

Thanks. We stepped up our practicing to twice a day recently but its still hard on roads with 3+ lanes or tight turns. Possible anxiety. It is making DCs life challenging (can't get most jobs due to transportation and ID requirements, although not during covid, can't do nature activities). DCs walkable job is seasonal. DH and I work full time outside of the home.

There are many other forms of ID besides a drivers license that meet hiring requirements. That’s an excuse.

FFS, OP. My wife has a hard science Ph.D. and no driver's license. Smart has nothing to do with it. Sheesh.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You should have some idea by now of WHY your child isn't doing well with this. Vision? Poor spacial skills? Lack of practice? Anxiety?

I have a gifted and learning disabled teen, and I know driving will pose a problem because:
1. lack of motor coordination
2. problem with assessing distances
3. executive functioning deficits
4. slow processing speed
5. anxiety

His IQ is in the gifted range, but for driving, it's not going to compensate enough. Like me, he'll have to practice for a very long time before he gets it

The solution is to PRACTICE MORE.

Thanks. We stepped up our practicing to twice a day recently but its still hard on roads with 3+ lanes or tight turns. Possible anxiety. It is making DCs life challenging (can't get most jobs due to transportation and ID requirements, although not during covid, can't do nature activities). DCs walkable job is seasonal. DH and I work full time outside of the home.

PP you replied to. How long have you been at it? I had 60 hours of practice with an instructor before getting my driver's license at 19. My cousin probably had more and she got hers at 27 or something like that. Got her PhD before her driver's license! My nephew is widely traveled and still doesn't drive. None of us are stupid...

Does DC have anxiety about it? I didn’t get my license until I was 30 years old, in part because I was a very nervous driver.

I needed A LOT of practice and finally got it.

So maybe a driver’s ed course meant for anxious drivers would help.

I’m 31 and I have a drivers license but I don’t drive ever. I have dyspraxia which compounds my anxiety that I may just kill someone while driving and end up serving time for vehicular manslaughter. I drove into a palm tree the week after I got my license and that just did it for me. I live in the suburbs and get by doing work remotely.

Anonymous wrote:
You should have some idea by now of WHY your child isn't doing well with this. Vision? Poor spacial skills? Lack of practice? Anxiety?

I have a gifted and learning disabled teen, and I know driving will pose a problem because:
1. lack of motor coordination
2. problem with assessing distances
3. executive functioning deficits
4. slow processing speed
5. anxiety

His IQ is in the gifted range, but for driving, it's not going to compensate enough. Like me, he'll have to practice for a very long time before he gets it

The solution is to PRACTICE MORE.

Thanks. We stepped up our practicing to twice a day recently but its still hard on roads with 3+ lanes or tight turns. Possible anxiety. It is making DCs life challenging (can't get most jobs due to transportation and ID requirements, although not during covid, can't do nature activities). DCs walkable job is seasonal. DH and I work full time outside of the home.

My sister has learning disabilities and needed the right teacher. Then it clicked.

Your child may have executive functioning issues, coordination issues, processing issues, anxiety— don’t know. If you think testing would help figure out why, then yes. Or keep looking for the right fit teacher.

You should have some idea by now of WHY your child isn't doing well with this. Vision? Poor spacial skills? Lack of practice? Anxiety?

I have a gifted and learning disabled teen, and I know driving will pose a problem because:
1. lack of motor coordination
2. problem with assessing distances
3. executive functioning deficits
4. slow processing speed
5. anxiety

His IQ is in the gifted range, but for driving, it's not going to compensate enough. Like me, he'll have to practice for a very long time before he gets it

The solution is to PRACTICE MORE.

Take the test and see what happens. You never know.

This doesn't sound like it has anything to do with intelligence. Does she have trouble with other things involving spacial awareness or judging distance?

Still teaching my 18 yr old how to drive. Expensive lessons for years are getting us nowhere. Should I get my dc tested for learning disabilities? Before you act like an ass, my dc has pretty much every other life skill you can imagine. Dc simply cannot parallel park or drive on busy roads. Permit is about to expire for the second time (had to be renewed). Dc has not taken the driver's test yet. dc desperately wants to become a licensed driver and their quality of life has declined (We are in an area with no public transportation). What are kid's options? Any online drivers ed courses (to take again?)?