Paying for kids driving lessons

[hansolosmum]

A few people I know with kids in their late teens are giving them driving lessons for Christmas, which is nice. But then what? Are they going to have to keep paying for it if their kids can't afford to pay themselves?

I only ask because it's made me think recently about what I will and won't be willing to pay for when my kids reach 16. I had to pay for my own driving lessons when I was younger (hence not learning till I was 34!). I'm worried how much I'm going to have to save up for all this type of stuff.

If you've got older kids what do you think? And will I be thinking completely differently when the time comes?

I grew up in the middle of nowhere so 17th birthday present was a set of driving lessons until I passed. I was put on the insurance of my parents' cars. Everyone got driving lessons for their 17th birthday as driving was essential. It was 4 miles to the nearest town, no bus service and we all used to hitchhike (back in the mid-1980s) so driving was a lot safer!

God yes. It’s so they can drive themselves and reduce the need for us to be the taxi service . Priceless.

We were going to give them a car, not one each but one they had to negotiate between them, give each other lifts etc. Itvwas going to be one of ours and that person would upgrade to a new one. We both own cars and upgrade every 4 years so lots of opportunity there but we have found with one driving and the other learning that we have all managed with the two cars we have. If that changes we will go back to the original plan and add an extra car but if it keeps working then why bother!