Why doesn't my 17 year old want to get his drivers license?
Just graduated high school, accepted to local college for the fall, and will stay living with us (mom and dad) for free while he goes to school. We're also paying his tuition. Minimal responsibility, a part-time job for 6 hours a week, and not many chores, but he still grumbles indignantly at being asked to do anything. He has a girlfriend that lives 20 min walk away, but sometimes we drive him, especially if it's really late at night. I have encouraged him so many times to learn to drive, but he refuses. I ask why, and he just says, "I don't want to." But I'm struggling to understand. A drivers license would be more independence, more freedom. It can be a pain for me to have to stay up late to pick him up or drop him off, and I want him to show a little responsibility. Does anyone have any insight? Or is there a different way I can ask him to get a different answer? I don't want this to become a failure to launch situation.