They also had to save up six months of car insurance in advance, and be able to continue paying their own insurance costs. Translation: have steady income, i.e. a job. Why is this important? Once you have a license, you have to keep paying for insurance whether you drive or not. So carefully consider your options. Soon after getting his permit, my oldest bought a good quality bike. That decision didn't make sense to me. He explained, "I'm not willing to pay all that money for car insurance right now, when I don't really need to drive that much." He chose to ride his bike to work, save his money, and postpone getting a license.

Driving is a privilege that costs money.

Besides driver training costs and outrageous insurance costs for teen drivers, there are other ongoing costs. In other words, driving equals spending money. So our post-license requirements include: pay $10 a month toward gas and maintenance (will be adjusted based on actual use of car), continue paying your own insurance portion of my auto insurance policy, and pay for any accidents or damage to the car while you are driving. Does this seem harsh? These are the rules in the adult world, so let's introduce our teens to these realities now.

My daughter recently borrowed her brother's car for the evening. While driving on the highway under a bridge, a large rock hit the front windshield and cracked it. A freak accident? Yes. Life happens. But someone has to pay to fix it. I believe our 'family reality training' helped them solve the problem amiably, without blame or guilt.

Driving is a privilege that impacts the whole family.

The car is not up for grabs. It doesn't go to whoever is most vocal about wanting it. To paraphrase Philippians 2:4, "A driver does not consider only his own needs, but also the needs of other family members." Having a driver's license is about contributing to the family. It's about being helpful and serving others. Each driver needs to communicate and schedule with family members about using the car (or cars). Each driver is expected to help with errands and drive others to appointments or practices. Each driver is trusted to be home on time, for others need the car too.

Perseverance, dependability, patience, commitment, honesty. These character qualities can blossom in our teens as they gradually acquire the privilege of driving. The life lessons it provides in setting priorities, money management, responsibility, service, and character development are woven into our ongoing homeschool curriculum. Consider this perspective in your homeschool: driving is a privilege!

Linda Joyce Heaner has two young adults with licenses and another one finished 'the process.' "I'm amazed by how much God teaches each of us through this one area of life!" she says. You can contact her at linda@abidinghope.com.