mudgeons' kids' first cars

[ff]

Originally Posted by FC

But I agree with "someone other than dad." You can say all the right things but sometimes someone says it differently and it sinks in better or is more memorable.

Basically, for the same reasons we parents should avoid directly instructing our own kids when we coach their sports teams. Even if we say the right things, and think we have the correct tone in our voices, the fact that it's coming from Dad just makes it different.

Of course I didn't take my own advice here, though. The behind-the-wheel training at their school sucks, as they're rushed through (so many kids to push through the system), and they don't actually leave the driver's ed parking. My kids all took (and my youngest will take this fall) what the school offers, but I also supplement this at home. I just take extra care to keep comments short, and to backfill with plenty of compliments/encouragement.