We used Drivers Ed in a Box. It was simple enough. I basically just handed my daughter the box and she came to me if she needed anything. Later I found out that we could have just gone to DMV and gotten their book to study for ourselves. I thought we were required to do an actual course. I’m not sure if it’s the same in every state.
We’ve had three children use the Virtual Drive course in the past 5 years. With the first, I found out, just like Binky, that they could’ve just used the DMV book. But, that changed to a mandatory course by the second a year later. Honestly, I’m planning on our youngest two taking a course somewhere else. It was one more thing for me to schedule and keep up with. At one point, we were juggling the computer, vehicle, and drive time with three and I wasn’t doing a good job of recording times (which should’ve been easy with the forms that were provided.)
It’s just one thing that I’ve decided to farm out. We rarely, if ever, cover anything through an outside source. This is one that I will no longer manage for the kids. Virtual Drive is fine, I just want a drop off situation for the course so that it can be finished quicker. Our farm life is so busy that it can interfere with something that seems simple. So, it’s simpler to schedule reporting to someone else than to stop and do it ourselves. Crazy, as it is. Heh.
binky, it’s really important to check with your state. Some states simply do not allow ANY parent to teach driving, period, at least if your child wants a license before age 18 (mine is this way.) Find out your laws first, then move forward if you are allowed to teach driving.
are your kids required to have drivers ed before they get a license? I was really just looking at doing a course to get an insurance discount. I, in essence, teach my kids to drive while they hold their permit for a year. I will definitely check with state. I assume I can just go to DMV to get that info, correct?
Becca,
I understand the busyness…We don’t run a farm but with 8 kids and trying to pull my own curriculum together for the first time I am really overwhelmed. My brain goes to sleep thinking school and wakes up thinking school. I can’t wait until I get it all figured out so I can just implement it.
Check with your insurance company too about what qualifies as “drivers ed.” Ours will not accept parent-taught.
Yes, our kids have to have driver’s ed before getting a licence, AND it cannot be a course taught by parents but MUST be taught by a school or a driving school.
Yes, your DMV ought to have the info, and then call your insurance company–it’d be a shame to spend the money on a program if it didn’t count.