The Mommies' Diaries…Parenting, One Blog at a Time.

My youngest continues to cross new ground this week.  Last week Megan became a senior.  This week, she bought her first car.  She has worked hard for it.  Landscaping jobs.  Photo shoot jobs.  Writing Life As A Teen for Parenting on the Peninsula.  I never believed in buying my children their cars.  I think whoever pays for the car receives the greatest reward.  If I had bought it for her, I would have been the happiest.  This way she is.

Megan thrilled with her new car!

Tell me I’m wrong, but it looks to me like she looks pretty satisfied!  If you could have seen her do the happy dance, you’d know I wasn’t making this up!

After picking it up together, we drove around the local neighborhood to make sure all was well.  Then we stopped at one of our favorite coffee shops and bought our favorite drinks to celebrate.

When I was growing up, I remember feeling a great sense of personal achievement when I saved up money from mowing lawns to buy my first movie camera from Sears for $110.  Back in 1973, when I was in 3rd grade, that was a big deal – a lot of money.  I still have that camera today, it still works, and it’s still in great shape.  It’s true that when you spend your own money to get something, you tend to take better care of it.

A great first car!

Megan’s smile and sense of personal achievement tells me her efforts paid off.  It also tells me she can succeed at anything she sets her mind to.

I was happy to be able to be there when she got it.  Experiencing ‘firsts’ with anyone is great.  Experiencing them with your children, watching them go to school for the first time, get their first car, win a competition for a college grant, or get engaged – satisfying.