It is so fascinating to me as a mom to watch my three children grow up with such different strengths and weaknesses. They are all so different and they all excel in different areas. I don’t ever want them to compare themselves to each other because there is no point. They may have the same parents, but they are very different children.
Our dearest Ella is so intelligent. The things that come out of her mouth tend to blow us away. We look at her twice and forget how old she is when she speaks. She may only be 17 years old, but she is an old wise soul with a lot of intelligent things to say.
She got a lead in the school play and is going to make us laugh hysterically during the whole thing. I can’t wait to see her bring Polly to life. I hope I don’t pee my pants. Ella is just a natural on stage. You can’t really teach the level of humor that she naturally portrays on stage.
She received many awards at the awards ceremony at school. She is at the top of her class and she stacks herself with AP classes. I would never want to take the number of challenging classes that Ella puts onto her schedule. She will crush them all and do very well in school this year like she always does.
We haven’t even talked about all the clubs she is in. She started Broadcast club and is having a ball with it. My budding journalist and her team keep track of everything happening at school and report it to the school community. She is an editor on the school yearbook. Ella is an officer in their Rising Electorette club. She is highly involved in student government. She edits the school magazine. My list of what Ella is doing and good at goes on and on and on.
Now that you have part of Ella’s resume, let us talk about driving. Ella excels at many things. She tried to ride a bike and told me no way. It just wasn’t for her, and she wanted nothing to do with it. She started to learn to drive and said she hated it and, “no thank you.”
We gave up on pushing her to learn to ride a bike many years ago and never went back to it. As far as driving is concerned, she has been practicing how to drive for over a year now. She has come so far. This did not come naturally to her. Her jerky turns and steering have become smoother. She can do three point turns and parallel parking. She has driven all over our area on busy streets. She has come so far.
Ella wants to focus on her studies. She does not like the distraction of learning how to drive. She says it’s a waste of her time and she doesn’t care if she drives.
I drive back and forth to high school many times a day. Thankfully it is not far. Ella wants to go in early for a club. Lillie wants to go into school at the normal time. Lillie wants me to pick her up at 3 and bring her back at 5 to cheer. Ella stays after for rehearsal and if she doesn’t finish when Lillie has cheer, add another drive for me. I just go back and forth to high school a lot. If Ella had her license, it would make my life so much easier. I know this isn’t about me, but it is a little. This is why I pushed Max to get his license. I needed his help!
Ella doesn’t seem to enjoy driving. She doesn’t want to have to be perfect for her road test. Who drives perfectly anyway? She sees the people at school peeling out of the school parking lot and we both wonder how they got their licenses. I know what she is thinking and I agree with her. If X can get their license, why can’t I?
Driving is just more challenging for Ella. Just because something is more challenging, I don’t like seeing her give up. She wants to throw in the towel and forget about driving. She wants me to stop pushing her to practice.
Ella took driving lessons. I think the instructors were too nice?
Seth took Ella driving – I know for a fact he was too nice.
Bring in mom – the new driving instructor. I am not nice. Nice is not what is going to get Ella her license. I want her to be safe. I want her to be a good driver. I am not sugar coating anything. I tell her when she turns well. I tell her when she parallel parks perfectly. I also tell her when she does something wrong.
I think Seth spent all their driving time trying to build her up. I appreciate Seth and his soft spot for Ella. I do not have this problem. I just want her to be a good driver, and I know what that is going to take. When it comes to safety, I am not a pushover.
Ella has come so far. Please don’t give up. She has practiced so much and learned so much. I know that she can do this. Persistence and consistency are always the keys to success.
I may have to bring in the big guns and have Max’s instructor teach her to drive. He was strict and that may be what she needs. I am not an instructor, but I do my best for her. I want to see her succeed.
Ella, your dad and I are behind you every step of the way. We are happy to practice with you every day until you get your license. We know that you can do this. When things are hard, we don’t want to see you give up. Some things won’t be for you and some things you will have to work harder.
As long as it takes. We are always here for you. Forever and always.
Laughing, Learning, Loving,
Rebecca Greene, LCSW-R
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