Driving

[ChantelleL3031]

Does anyone else feel like they've failed at parenting because they cant drive which means they cant take the kids on fun family days out or even on nice long walks around areas. Theres nowhere nice were we live and even the parks are awful and ruined. I'm so terrified of learning to drive I've tried a few times and I just cant do it. My son also has travel sickness which means public transport is a no as he gets embarrassed. I just feel so useless and rubbish especially when on Facebook people are posting about the brilliant days they've had going such a place and were just stuck doing the same things all the time. :(

Yes, it’s me. There were quite a lot of situations when I couldn’t join with DD because of not driving. I was taking lessons but then stopped because of a health issue and then Coronavirus came. I’m devastated!

Stick with it, I was a very late and nervous learner, but knew my life would be severely limited without it.

Not yet no
I guess there's always when she's older but I hope not...
We still go loads of places on trains and buses and walk miles
Obviously it's a bit shit at the minute but who could have predicted this!

Whereas I'm incredibly glad I learned to drive and my life would have been very limited and very different if I couldn't (indeed, just this morning I unexpectedly had to go out to pick up dd and her bike some way from home when she had an accident), it's hardly a "parenting fail".

If you spend your life comparing yourself to others, then you'll always find other people who have been able to give their dc 'more opportunities' - be that swimming lessons, music lessons, their own bedrooms, holidays abroad, holidays at all, owning a pet, more books or toys or a bigger garden or a climbing frame in the garden etc etc etc. None of us are "failures" because we have less than whichever family we choose to compare ourselves to.

Very true.we Must remember this

Nearly, but not quite. I learnt while pregnant with DD and took my test just after she was born.

Things that helped - learning in an automatic. And also, much as I hate to admit it, DH forcing me to do it. There are so many excuses not to learn, and I bought into them all because it was just too scary. But actually, it was the best thing I could have done. If I hadn't learned, I wouldn't have gone to the NCT groups. DD wouldn't have had the same choice of nursery, school, swimming lessons, pay dates, parties etc.

You can manage without - I did for 20+ years. But if you can force yourself to learn, it will be with every minute. Honest!