Milestone We Pass In Our Cars

I know you are probably tired of hearing about my oldest son who is learning to drive, but let me tell you, when that happens, it changes your life.

Mostly because it makes me realize how fast life goes because I feel like it was just a few years ago that it was ME learning to drive. So it seems to consume a lot of my thoughts lately.

We had another car milestone this year….my youngest turned 8 and in Virginia that means no more booster seat. Yes, that means all 4 of my kids are out of car seats. That led me to think about the milestones that we have in our life that involve cars.

1. Learner’s Permit – First we get the learner’s permit which means we have to get in that car for the first time and grab hold of the wheel and hope we don’t crash. I think it is the first time that we have to take the knowledge we learn in school and apply it to something that could have serious consequences if we fail.

2. Driver’s License – If we don’t fail with the learner’s permit, we get to take a test that if we pass gives us more responsibility and more freedom. This is the first of many of those moments where we have an opportunity to show our parents how responsible we are (or aren’t.)

3. Buy First Car – Buying our first car is usually the first big payment we have and the beginning of our credit history. If we miss this payment, we lose the car. Big responsibility!!  My Dad helped me buy my first car (and it was a Toyota Tercel.)

4. Get Married – Ok, I realize we don’t get married in our car, but most of us drive away with a big “Just Married” sign on our cars. We want to show the world that we have moved on to a new phase in our lives and we use our car to show it off.

5. Baby Car Seat – Then we have our first baby and suddenly we are driving around another person that we are solely responsible for. Our cars must be safe and reliable and we have to be sure we install that car seat properly.

Nicky in car seat.

6. First Family Car – We all remember that moment we realize that we NEED to buy a mini-van. It is inevitable for most of us because they really our great vehicles for families. Our first minivan was a Toyota Sienna.

7. Kids Out of Car Seat – Then we have more kids and as they get older, they count down the years, days until they are out of car seats. To my kids, it was a huge milestone. They felt like a real BIG kid.

8. Our Kids Learn to Drive– And this is where the cycle starts all over over again. We have to learn to give our kids some of the freedom that we fear and let them show us how responsible they are (or arent.)

Nathan learning to drive.

What milestones have you passed in your life that include your car? I want to hear your stories!

Disclosure: I was selected for participation in the TWIN community through a program with Clever Girls Collective. I did not receive any compensation for writing this post, or payment in exchange for participating. The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not reflect the views of the Toyota.