Of course, she is your princess - the apple of your eye. But, that is absolutely no reason to be overprotective of her.
Parents, especially fathers, tend to hover around the lives of their daughters, especially in India. They are always concerned about the safety of their ward. They have every reason to be.
But keeping a girl from driving, even with the intent of keeping her safe, is not a great idea. A stereotype about women is that we are not good drivers! These unsubstantiated myths can be put to rest if women are forced to learn driving as a life skill - much like men are!
Here are few things you can practice to instill confidence in your daughter and encourage her to be a better driver.
Start at an early age – as it is with all other things, driving is easier to learn when you are young and full of confidence (and much less prejudiced).
Allow her to drive frequently – practice makes one perfect (men and women irrespective!) Most Indian women lack the necessary driving skills because they are not given a chance to drive by the male members of their family. “You don’t need to work so hard, just sit and relax”. A big NO!!
Teach her how to change a flat tire – this is another reason I find women avoiding the responsibility to drive, especially when they are alone. ‘What if I get a flat tire?” Teach her the basics. Give her the contacts of a few friendly mechanics who can help her in case a need arises.
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Learn to change a flat tire[/caption]
Bring her up as a confident person – driving on the streets and parking in tight spots require a lot of confidence and judgment. Indian society allows women to have neither. Teach your daughter to be a confident person with good decision-making skills. She shouldn’t lose her confidence just because her car got a scratch or some buffoon called her names.
Tell her not to apply makeup\text while driving – teach her to practice safety while driving. Focus on driving and driving alone, not on mobiles, makeups or anything as such.
It is time to teach your princess to be in the driver’s seat of her vehicle and her life!
Want to share your stories as a woman driver, comment or write to us at editor@blankslatechronicles.com