Regarding the call about the teenager needing a car… Children do not need a car at sixteen. They do not even need to drive at that age.
We had the opposite problem with our son at almost sixteen. We had to force him to take Driver's Ed and then to get his license. ("Force" may be too strong of a word.) We live three miles from the nearest bus route, so we told him that the Mom and Dad Taxi Service would stop at certain dates. He was a teenager who became a National AP scholar and got academic and swim scholarships to college. His complaint was "Do you know what happens when a car going 45mph collides with another car going that speed?" We assured him we knew and that is why he would have Driver's Ed and practice. I reminded him his parents were getting old and did not need to drive him to 5:30 am practice.
He is now getting his doctorate degree in Physics and still does not use a car or own a car in his name. His now wife came with a car. She must drive to graduate school 40 miles away, but our son uses his bike, feet, or bus to get to work.
When he was a teen, he told me I didn't need to listen to you because he thought you could take tips from me! Parents, have expectations of your kids and teach them to have expectations of themselves!
Thanks,
Mary
