Getting It Right From The Start
When starting out on the journey to teaching your kids to drive, you will discover a whole new side to them you yet have had the privilege to see. This I know being an instructor who taught both of his kids.
So before you rush off and throw them headfirst into the deep end, take a little time to reflect, on how your child is going to react to the new and sometimes stressful situations they are yet to face.
You will need to plan every detail and steps of their learning; from the first time they enter a car, to the day they take their driving test. The following advice will help you plan and structure driving lessons for your child.
Always remember, what may sound and seem simple to understand to you may not to your child. So it would be wise to remember, without every thorough detail and explanation you might as well speak Russian or French to your child.
Get this right and not only will your child thank for eternity. You in return will get the pleasure and self-satisfaction of seeing your child develop their skills.
LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR LEARNING
Like building a house the laying of solid foundations is vital when learning to dive. It allows you to build layer by layer of information, routines, and improved driving skills on top of it.
Taking short cuts here will affect the lesson structure later.
Getting this part wrong makes it more and more difficult to build on your lessons. Weaknesses will occur, and cracks will form, Leaving your child confused and full of doubt.
Keep the driving tuition detailed and simple to understand. By explaining in full what you want your child to achieve for that lesson. Keeping briefings and instructions as simple as you possibly can. (Draw diagrams to explain if it helps your child) . If your child is looking puzzled, ask questions to see if they have understood you. If not always repeat yourself reassuring your child.
Feed Back And Encouragement
Always praise your child when they are doing things correctly. This one of the most effective and easiest methods of lifting their confidence levels. This will result in them keep their focus and engagement in their tuition keeping them wanting to work harder. Reassure and encourage them when they make mistakes. Explain that Rome was not built in a day. Praising your child to other family member and
friends also helps to embed a feeling of achievement in your child. Set Realistic Expectations and goals giving praise when they are being achieved. Let your child see your enthusiasm as they will feed of this too. Encourage feedback from your child so you get an idea how they think and feel. Set realistic aims and objectives for each driving lesson and praise and encourage when they are achieved.
Do not let yourself or your child be unrealistic and assume they are doing better than they are. Your child will now this for them themselves and will feel the pressure to achieve increase. This unnecessary pressure will not be welcomed. No one can master the complexities of driving lessons with little or no experience. Set them on to high a pedestal the further the drop. Sometimes the best thing for your child is for you to be a voice of reason. Help them understand what realistic progress looks like, and work with them to set goals that are challenging but still reachable.
When they reach and achieve their goals take time to celebrate their achievements. Allow them to think and decide for themselves. Before jumping in, give your child the opportunity to work it out for themselves.
Vary Your Teaching Methods
There is nothing worse than going over the same routine, driving lesson after driving lesson on the same road. What you can do, is to change the scenery, try different areas and roads still applying the same routines. 
Just doing this simple thing can lead to your child getting more engaged and more excited to participate in future driving lessons. When you use a variety different areas and junctions, they will not only have fun but will find your teaching more effective. Encourage them to think and make decisions for themselves.
Facilitate Do Not Dominate
In the early stages of giving drivng tuition, you will need to spoon feed your child every step of the way. Dot the i’s and cross the T’s. As you child progresses it sometimes too easy to keep spoon feeding instructions to your child. This will result in your child relying on you for all the decision making.
When you see progress being made explain to your child that you want them to take on more responsibility for their actions, and any mistakes they may make. In doing this your embedding confidence while your child takes a more responsible role in their driving.
When someone teaches somebody else to drive is so easy to dominate the lesson and the conversation with your child. Anyone who teaches has to work well with their pupil. If you find you are talking more than your pupil, you should probably think about stepping back. Let them do more of the communicating. The simple act of letting them talk more will boost the spirits of frustrated child.
Help And Guidance
The following posts will provide information on how you can help and give guidance to your child during each lesson. With the help of detailed step by step lesson plans which are designed to help your child understand and retain information, building their knowledge and skills together as one.
Each new driving lesson topic introduced relates back to the previous lessons. At the start of each lesson, recap on the previous sessions, this will help you confirm your child has retained the information.
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TEACHING SAFE DRIVING FOR LIFE
