Comments on: Backseat Drivers http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/backseat-drivers Austin, Texas novelist Ruth Pennebaker, who's old enough to call herself "fabulous," writes about family, politics, marriage, friendship, feminism, aging and whatever else occurs to her. Her latest novel, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough, was published by Berkley in January 2011. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:24:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tessa http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/backseat-drivers/comment-page-1#comment-5573 Tessa Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:01:54 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2322#comment-5573 Because we live in an area with no public transport, we had to drive the kids everywhere, so the first gift each one received for their 16th birthdays was a provisional license and driving lessons. I actually feel safer with any one of them in the driving seat, than with my husband, although I've never told him that. Like most males, he believes himself to be a superb driver, although his daughter told me once that she hoped the deterioration of driving skills along with age is confined to the male members of his family. I've never told him that either! Because we live in an area with no public transport, we had to drive the kids everywhere, so the first gift each one received for their 16th birthdays was a provisional license and driving lessons. I actually feel safer with any one of them in the driving seat, than with my husband, although I’ve never told him that. Like most males, he believes himself to be a superb driver, although his daughter told me once that she hoped the deterioration of driving skills along with age is confined to the male members of his family. I’ve never told him that either!

]]> By: MarthaAndMe http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/backseat-drivers/comment-page-1#comment-5571 MarthaAndMe Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:58:34 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2322#comment-5571 That is really interesting. At this stage in my life, I'm always driving or in the front passenger seat. That is really interesting. At this stage in my life, I’m always driving or in the front passenger seat.

]]> By: Cindy A http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/backseat-drivers/comment-page-1#comment-5570 Cindy A Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:14:46 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2322#comment-5570 How strange to view your blog this morning almost immediately after hearing a discussion of happiness on NPR. According to a Harvard researcher, we are happier as we get older unless we have health problems. In marriage, we are happiest at two points: the beginning and after our kids are raised (and we are being carted around in the back seat). <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122207615" rel="nofollow">http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122207615</a> How strange to view your blog this morning almost immediately after hearing a discussion of happiness on NPR. According to a Harvard researcher, we are happier as we get older unless we have health problems. In marriage, we are happiest at two points: the beginning and after our kids are raised (and we are being carted around in the back seat).

http://www.npr.org/templates/s.....=122207615

]]> By: Rona Maynard http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/backseat-drivers/comment-page-1#comment-5568 Rona Maynard Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:41:21 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2322#comment-5568 As a non-driver, I've always liked the view from the back seat--or the passenger seat, for that matter. I get to daydream and ponder the view while someone else deals with the peculiarities of other drivers and the mysteries of the route. As a non-driver, I’ve always liked the view from the back seat–or the passenger seat, for that matter. I get to daydream and ponder the view while someone else deals with the peculiarities of other drivers and the mysteries of the route.

]]> By: Carol Flake http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/backseat-drivers/comment-page-1#comment-5562 Carol Flake Sun, 03 Jan 2010 02:15:30 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2322#comment-5562 Ruth, I had very similar thoughts during my niece's wedding today. The cycle of life, and gracefully moving to the side of the stage as the beautiful young people take the spotlight. I don't feel displaced by this generation ready to take the wheel.  Somehow I feel grateful. Ruth, I had very similar thoughts during my niece’s wedding today. The cycle of life, and gracefully moving to the side of the stage as the beautiful young people take the spotlight. I don’t feel displaced by this generation ready to take the wheel.  Somehow I feel grateful.

]]> By: ruthpennebaker http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/backseat-drivers/comment-page-1#comment-5560 ruthpennebaker Sat, 02 Jan 2010 22:37:07 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2322#comment-5560 <p>I've always found it funny that you think you've "made it" as a parent at certain points in your kids' lives.  But it's never static.  You have to adjust to their growing up -- and to your own growing old.  Fascinating stuff, but not easy.</p> I’ve always found it funny that you think you’ve “made it” as a parent at certain points in your kids’ lives.  But it’s never static.  You have to adjust to their growing up — and to your own growing old.  Fascinating stuff, but not easy.

]]> By: TexasDeb http://www.geezersisters.com/aging/backseat-drivers/comment-page-1#comment-5558 TexasDeb Sat, 02 Jan 2010 14:59:01 +0000 http://www.geezersisters.com/?p=2322#comment-5558 So true.  Sitting in the detritus of after Christmas with our grown kids, I realized I felt like one of the characters in a Disney movie where teenagers and parents swap places and hilarity ensues. We weren't SO hilarious as it turns out, but I was able to accept that my kids' need for their own space that day didn't have anything to do with me personally.  It simply takes a while before an adult child can drop the second part of that ID while their parents are in the room. So true.  Sitting in the detritus of after Christmas with our grown kids, I realized I felt like one of the characters in a Disney movie where teenagers and parents swap places and hilarity ensues.
We weren’t SO hilarious as it turns out, but I was able to accept that my kids’ need for their own space that day didn’t have anything to do with me personally.  It simply takes a while before an adult child can drop the second part of that ID while their parents are in the room.

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