Boys to Men!

I reached another milestone this week……..I began helping my son learn to drive a 5 speed manual shift car.  I must admit that he did great, much better than I did my first time trying to drive a manual shift car.  He picked up on the function of the clutch quicker than I expected and I think by the end of the summer he will have mastered it pretty well.  He seemed to be excited and nervous and the same time and surprisingly I was calmer with him than I thought I would be.  Dads can get a little nervous also during these early driving lessons and that may be why I learned to drive a stick shift car with lessons from my mom. 

As I reflected on our successful first driving lesson, I began to think about at what age a boy truly begins to develop his passion for cars.  Boys play with hot-wheels and model car when they are little, but at what point does the spark light their true excitement for wanting their first car?  I guess it depends on the boy; some kids may get into computers/girls/sports/etc…..but if they are destined to be a “Car Guy” at some time in their early teen years they begin to take more notice of cool cars.  They start asking questions about the make or model and the specifics of the engine size or horsepower.  If the dad is a car guy this development will usually be quicker than if the dad or grand dad is not into cars or hot rods himself.  No matter what age it happens, this can be a wonderful time for some father / son bonding as they share in the love of all things cars!  I tell people all the time that you are NEVER too old to play with cars!

(This photo is my son at a one of many car shows we enjoyed together when he was younger)

That leads me to another related topic…..car shows; taking a kid to a car show is so much fun and can be a great event that you share with the whole family.  Most car shows and cruise-ins are very family friendly and have something for all ages like face painting, games, contest, or even a kid’s choice award where the kids under a certain age get to vote for their favorite car/truck at the show.  Don't miss a great opportunity to share in this great past time event with your family and you can even relive a little of your youth as you tell them some stories of the "Good Ol Days"!