Daughter has failed driving test twice now, worried mom - ADD / ADHD Message Board

JDRkids · 07-16-2004, 07:31 PM

I am new here. I have never posted on an ADD board before because my daughter has always done pretty much ok with her ADD and meds.

Well, recently she has not been taking her Adderall and has managed to pass the written portion of the drivers test BUT not the driving part. I am just sick about this. It throws the reality in of her kindergarten years when they told me she just isn't ready for Kindergarten. Now here we are at 16, and she is not ready to drive.

She has taken drivers ED, passed with an A and B. When she goes to take the drivers test at the BMV, she fails.

I am just at a loss here. Not sure if I should have her try the third time or not. If she fails the 3rd time, she must apply for another permit, wait the time and then take alllll the tests over again. Her self confidence has plummeted.

My heart hurts for her so terribly! Not to mention the endless hours working with her on this and all the hours I have had her driving my car.

I do not know what to do. Even if I "MAKE " her take her meds, it is no guarantee she will pass.

JDR"s kids

sheezle · 07-16-2004, 08:09 PM

Sorry but I feel a failed written test might be because a.d.d. but the driving test should have nothing to do with the a.d.d...They should tell you what part of the test she did bad on..Practice that with her then let her take it again..I still can not paralel park.

liona · 07-16-2004, 09:00 PM

hello i have ADD and im 17 and just got out of driver's ed summer class and passed. i was also told that i wasn't ready for certain grades and i actually failed fourth. and in 5th grade i got straight F's but they passed me because they didn't put me in special ed class.but anyway I'm in 11th now and got almost straight B's except for one C and I'm not in special ed, I mostly advanced classes,so I think your daughter needs to do one thing at a time and try not to multi task her or she should just put a little more efffort into her studies.

hoped this helped.

liona

sheezle · 07-17-2004, 12:05 AM

special ed class? oh my!!! the school district gets extra money for each child they have in special ed.. I shouldn't get started on our public school system but just like to warn parents do not accept this label for your child..I have done my best before each school year to educate each and everyone of my childs teachers. They let my son run the errands for them. walk by him every so often and pat him on the back..these little things help..I don't know about all ,but my son does not fear punishment and does much better for the nice teachers. If they are super nice to him he wants to please them and does well. I tell them that I know I am asking them to go out of thier way but in the long run it will save us both time and frustration..If they are the type that wants to show him whos boss they will lose..lol..so far so good...(knock on wood) This post upsets me so much.. Please parents know that your child is not slow by any means..please don't let any school official tell you this..GRRRRRRRRRRRR....

apinecone · 07-17-2004, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDRkids

She has taken drivers ED, passed with an A and B. When she goes to take the drivers test at the BMV, she fails.... Not to mention the endless hours working with her on this and all the hours I have had her driving my car.

Taking a written test is one thing but taking a test in a closed, moving vehicle with someone inspecting your every move is something else. Esp. since ADD can result in being challenged due to multi-tasking overload, so to speak; the highways and some of the maneuvers, like parallel parking uphill

can be challenging. I ended up doing 'mock runs' with my son-- I think we did 10 or so-- until he did it pretty much '2nd nature'. There's no guarantee they'll do the same driving routine on each exam, but if they do, practice can help alot. But why doesn't she want to hang in there with the meds for at least long enough to do this? Is it time off for the summer?