Anyone helped a grandson/daughter to afford driving lessons?

I so wish I’d learned to drive when I was 17. I passed my test the second time when I was about 28 and I’ve never been as confident as my two daughters who both passed their tests at 17. It’s a useful skill to have but I’ve never enjoyed being behind the wheel.

I've helped 2 of my grandchildren so far. I have seven in total but my eldest granddaughter has no interest in cars and has motorbike. So, 3 of them taken care of and another 4 years before the next one is ready for driving lessons. I felt once I committed to fund one I had to commit for them all. Then 3 years after that for the next 2 and luckily the youngest is only 2 so it will be a while before I have to worry about him.

Yes, we paid for our grandson's driving lessons for his 18th birthday.

Family members taught me to drive with two professional lessons to make sure I was conforming to test requirements that was 60 years ago! I didn't pay for GSs lessons, I paid for his insurance when he bought a car this year, would have been cheaper paying for lessons!

Great to hear about your perspectives on this, whether it's gifting or short-term loaning, both helps. Lovely to read responses. I realise that some people may just have too many grandchildren to think about helping everyone in this way.
Back in the day I paid for my own driving lessons at 23 yrs in a big city as my parents really couldn't have afford to help, and my grandparents (bar one) had sadly passed away young - but they would have had too many youngsters to think about as families were much larger.
I was ridiculously nervous and didn't need to drive at all for three years after passing first time (public transport was good ) - but when I got a job elsewhere more rural in late 20s I was thrown in the deep end as had to drive long distances for work related meetings. I was given a company car as part of the package - and the first few weeks and months were full of crazy angst! Then thankfully with practice I gained in confidence and it's the best skill ever, if you enjoy it. I love driving.
I agree with the worries about driving too early and with young passengers on board - as tragically too many youngsters sadly have car accidents particularly when inexperience clashes with bad driving conditions and today's busy roads and potholes. The charity Brake campaigns on this.
We have a young person currently learning in their twenties and we help as much as we possibly can - and she herself works to fund it of course - but she is very nervous about what it's costing (as not a natural driver and we have had family tragedy in recent times, which doesn't help, but she's managing well on the whole ). Anyway lessons are really very expensive. A whole day's work funds one lesson pretty much. Previously she had to stop as the instructor changed to a different job!

Her grandparent could really usefully help and take away some of the financial worries at least, just by helping with a few lessons (not all) - - but once again not interested and of course it's her 100 percent right to decide. It's not as if it's to fund a holiday or something not needed - or to be idle. And yet 'family means everything' but there's lots of one-way traffic.

Heartened by the responses on here.
I had thought people might say: 'certainly not, it's not for me to help with that kind of thing' .
It has to come from the heart anyway, whether to help or with practical considerations in mind - and sometimes the different parents of grandchildren have very different financial capabilities themselves (which one person said in fact...).

Being fair and equal in helping all grandchildren in a similar way could be open to questions possibly - but that's a whole new topic again.

We did, our gift for GD1 on her 17th birthday. When she passed her test we bought her a reliable 2nd hand car which delighted her, no more hanging around alone at bus stops or quiet railway stations. She is a very willing taxi driver to her younger sister until we do the same for her in 2026.

Yes, I did for my grandson and he passed his test first time.
He now has a driving job that he loves.

We did it for our children at 17. We considered it a life skill that was probably an essential and used it as an extra special treat/bribe I suppose as they approached that age. Expensive but worthwhile. They passed at differing rates.

DD’s both took 3 goes to pass, but by the time they did (after so many expensive lessons!) at least we felt they were competent to be let loose on the roads.

It’ll be 9 years before the eldest Gdc is old enough to drive, but since dh and I are very much ‘older’ GPs, who knows whether we’ll still be here by then. However we’ve been putting money into S&S Junior ISAs for them, which they’ll only be able to access at 18.

We would hope that they’ll be sensible enough to save most of it, but if they want to expend some on driving lessons, fair enough.

My GS is seventeen this year and I have offered to pay for his driving lessons. I only hope he doesn’t need as many as me - I shall have to push my piano down the high street and busk!

Yes, but I have with most things, if I can afford it I do it.

I haven't so far, but this has just given me an idea.

I passed at the 5 attempt. Got just one manoeuvre wrong in each test, never the same one twice. Driving instructor was tearing his hair out because he knew it was nerves. I have since discovered I have dyspraxia, so I am a bit clumsy and get even more cack handed when being watched and judged.

crazyH

Farmour I did one worse than your eldest. I failed 5 times on a manual , then went on to an automatic, and passed second time - 7 altogether 😂 and at the age of 40 😂

My aunt took 8 goes. The last was in an automatic.
I think all will be automatic in due course.
Well done CrazyH - you persisted and got there in the end.

Yes I have paid for some and will donate when I can £35 an hour here.
But! after reading about those young lads in Wales it really made me wish he wasn't learning yet, he turned 17 last August and started lessons not long after.

I do wish they would bring it back to 18 I'm sure it used to be 18 at one time.

Also what they have to remember is not only to learn to drive but to study the practical test and if they read the highway code then the answers to the practical test are in there (I don't mean literally)

I have 5 grandchildren and paid for 4 of them to have driving lessons as a 17th birthday present but to understand no more birthday presents as it was expensive. So I would say yes do what ever you can afford

I didn't pay for GS's lessons, but after he had got the hang of handling a car, I put L plates on mine and let him practise on the country roads around my then home. Luckily he had a part-time job while he was in 6th form and managed to pay for some lessons himself. His dad let him practise in one of the family cars, though as it was electric and automatic, he couldn't take a test in it. Now he has a licence and his own car. Younger brother next year...

Tricky one for me, as my son and his wife paid for driving lessons for their children so no need for me to contribute whereas my daughter’s daughter had to pay for hers from her p/t job. I like to treat all my grandchildren the same but as their parents’ situations and principles are different maybe I shouldn’t.

Yes. We've gladly done & will continue to do as other GC are of age.

Farmour I did one worse than your eldest. I failed 5 times on a manual , then went on to an automatic, and passed second time - 7 altogether 😂 and at the age of 40 😂

Yes, we are considering it for DGD 17th birthday this year. Her family need a second driver. DH drives and drives a lot for work and also has to do all the family driving (we live 200 miles away). DDiL has passed her test, but after friends died in 2 freak motorway accidents, she is too traumatised to drive.

They need another driver.

My step-grandmother gave me a very generous cheque for my 21st birthday (a long time ago). She suggested I use some of it for driving lessons which was very good advice. My family didn't have a car but after I passed my test, I decided to buy one. Gift was enough to buy a fairly old car as well as lessons!

Driving is really a life skill now, even if you don't own a car. All our children learnt to drive - eldest only passed test on his 5th attempt! 2 don't own their own cars but are insured on ours, so can borrow occasionally.

DD2 is disabled and could learn to drive at 16. Twenty four years ago it was £40 an hour, which was double the ordinary going rate. Dread to think what they’d cost now.

I ve loaned my grandson the money for a decent car he’s set up a direct debit to pay every month the interest to pay back on a bank loan was eye watering He needs a reliable car as he has to drive long distances for his work so no point buying a banger
I like giving my grandkids a hand up and they are all very honest at paying back

Yes, helped with my oldest two grandchildren’s driving lessons. I doubt I’ll be here by the time the younger 4 reach driving age. That thought makes me sad. If I have the same longevity as my mother, I probably will. Be positive H 🤣