Thanks, yes she does just have a learners permit.  In Pa you have to be
17 I think to get a full license, I think there is a provisional license
of some sort, need to check and see what the rules actually are.

I can actually take paratransit to the hospital, it's a little hard to
schedule a ride sometimes, but maybe I will not have to worry about this
much longer, praying he comes home soon.
If she persists with this attitude however, I will take paratransit to
the hospital!  I can get there with out her, it might be more difficult,
but it can be done.
I think she is over her anger now, she came out of her room to get a
drink earlier and se spoke to me.
You just don't know about people  you haven'tmet before, I'd really much
rather her Dad go with her and meet this boy somewhere, or maybe the
both of us could go.
Internet friends are great, you guys are wonderful, but being 15 does
not make one wise, it just makes one think that they are smart.
Impulsive is more the word.

Anyway, guess I will try and go back to sleep, woke up and could not go
to sleep so I checked email.

Thanks for your response.

Rhonda
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peggy Kern" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2003 3:25 AM
Subject: Re: parent question


> Rhonda, that's such a tough situation to be in.  My daughter drove me
> places at times when I needed to be somewhere and had no other way,
and she
> often resented it.  I'd pay for her gas once a week or so, but often
she'd
> want money more often, and would resent it when I'd say no.  I think
I've
> heard you say you don't have any other way to get to the hospital to
see
> Ben, but if I'm mistaken, you might want to use some other way
occasionally
> just to give your daughter a break.
>
> But you're absolutely right not to let her go off with someone she's
just
> met on the net.  How does she know how old the person really is, or
what
> their intentions are?  I've talked to and met many people from my net
> contacts, and some have even stayed here.  But a teenager, especially
a
> female teenager, is in no position to make a decision about such
things
> without parental guidance.  If she really insists, a meeting at a
> restaurant in a mall might be a good time for you and her to size the
> person up.  And if she feels that's too invasive of her privacy, well,
then
> she might just prefer to have no car for a while, either to take you
to see
> Ben, or for any other reason.  Then it would be clear to her that it's
not
> just about her taking you to her things and not being alowed to do her
> stuff.  Besides, if she only has a permit, she shouldn't even be
thinking
> of driving off to do stuff on her own.  It's so hard when they're
growing
> up and want their independence, and often react against wise counsel
in an
> effort to do their own thing!  I hope nothing more comes of it, but I
think
> you were wise in laying down the boundaries when it came to meeting
her net
> friend.
>
> Peggy
>
> At 03:10 AM 12/21/2003 -0500, you wrote:
> >I have a question, or rather a situation I would like advice about.
> >As y'all know Christa has been driving me to the hospital, to the
> >grocery store, bank and to pay bills and run errands since her dad
has
> >been in the hospital.
> >She  chats on the computer with friends, and has met some new ones.
One
> >lives not far from here.  He, yes I said He wants to meet Christa, he
is
> >17 and she is 15.  He is about ten miles from here, about the same
> >distance as the hospital. So, Christa wanted todrive to his house and
> >meet him.  His parents are home she says and his brothers.  I said
No,
> >no way could she go and meet some strange boy as far as I knew.  That
if
> >she were ever to meet him, he would have to come here, or we would
have
> >to go with her to a mall or public place.
> >She was angry with me, and said I only let her drive if it was
something
> >I wanted to do.
> >Today she didn't want to stay at the hospital so she left me there
and
> >came back a couple of hours later.  We are abouteight miles from the
> >hospital.  So I said that she and I would just stay together, and she
> >wouldn't have to drive by herself anymore.
> >
> >I realize that being a parent isn't always popular, and so since I
was
> >not letting her do as she pleased, she was angry.  I guess I just
resent
> >her implication of "since I have been doing this for you, you
> >should....."
> >Not actually spoken, but the feeling was there.
> >I called Ben and he told her the same thing.
> >So, she hasn't spoken to me all night, well, this too shall pass,
> >but my question is how do you guys handle having a teen driver take
you
> >places?  Do you pay them as though it were a job, or is it just
> >something they do occasionally.
> >Just curious as to what y'all think of this.
> >
> >Christa is usually pretty agreeable, but sometimes she can be down
right
> >difficult, but that comes I think with being a teenager.
> >
> >Thanks for your ideas!
> >
> >Rhonda
>
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