Update on Jacob's Job

Jacob has been working at Albertson's for a month now. Some people might not be aware, but Albertson's is a grocery store chain. He is a courtesy clerk and his duties include bagging groceries, helping customers to their car with their groceries, cleaning bathrooms, sweeping the store, doing put backs, and getting carts in from outside. I am sure there are a few other duties, but those are the ones he has mentioned to me. He even gets to drive those electric carts in, if a customer leaves it outside. He actually enjoys doing that.

He has really enjoyed having a paycheck each Friday. The first Friday he was paid, he didn't want to make a trip up to get it. He waited until he worked the next day to pick it up. Since then, he has gone up each Friday to get his check. His hours have increased a bit and he likes seeing the increase in his paycheck. He pays me $30 a week towards his car insurance and another $10 to put in his savings account. I put it all in his savings account, then pay his insurance when it is due. He is also paying for his gas, which isn't a whole lot right now. He only drives back and forth to work. He drives to a few other places to SPEND what money he keeps, but even that is not far.

This week he will be working fourteen hours. I am hoping once he gets a bit more money in savings, that we will go to the bank and open a checking account for him. This way he can have a debit card. I can transfer him money when he needs it. He could also learn HOW to manage a debit card/checking account. I told him we will set it up, that if the money is not there then the card is refused. If he truly wants to go to Waco to attend a technical school next Fall, then he needs to know how to handle a checking account.

We are going to visit the technical school on July 22nd! I'll let y'all know how that goes!

JACOB IS DRIVING!

I am sorry I haven't posted sooner! Life has been busy, but JACOB PASSED HIS DRIVING TEST! WOOHOO! He did a great job and has had his license since last Thursday. There are a few laws that he has to abide by that are specifically for teen and this is from the STATE OF TEXAS!

• He can have only one friend in the car at a time. He can have as many family members as he wants, but no friends.
• He cannot drive between 12AM and 5AM  unless it is an emergency.
• He cannot text, call or even hold his phone to look at a text while driving! If he does, then his license is gone...if caught by a police officer.

My partner bought a new car and sold me her car, so he has a car. We had to get it inspected and do some work to it, but he is all set now. He purchased his parking permit yesterday and today was his first day to drive to school. He texted me once he arrived and had a HUGE smile on his face when he arrived home.

I have been searching for MONTHS for an app to put on his phone so that I could TRACK him and make sure he doesn't text or call on his phone while driving. I found one called Canary and it is actually The Canary Project if you look it up online.http://thecanaryproject.com/ Here is a link to their website. You can use it on an Android phone or an iPhone. I set up the account online for free then put the app on Jacob's phone, choosing the teen phone when I opened the app. Once I put the app on I did have to pay a one time $9.99 fee. I then downloaded the app on my phone, choosing the parent phone once I opened the app.  Jacob cannot open the app on his phone unless he has my password. I can then monitor him using the website OR my iPhone. If he travels over 12 MPH and texts or calls I get a text alert. I also get an email alert. If he travels outside of the safe zone I set up on his GEOFENCE, then I get an alert. I can also see where he is, or rather his phone is, any time using the GPS on the app OR on the website.

Overall, I am very pleased with this app. There is no monthly subscription and I have been able to talk to tech support twice when I needed assistance. He can now drive himself to his soccer games that he referees. He arrived home to tell me he needed poster board. I told him he could stop on the way to his friend's house and buy some. I gave him some money and told him I expected change. I can now see on my app that he has arrived at his friend's house. Some people may think I am being over protective, but I want to keep him safe!

Another Milestone for Jacob

Jacob is taking his driving test tomorrow! He was supposed to take it this past Monday, but I didn't read the test appointment reminder email very well. I didn't see we needed to be there an hour ahead of time! We came home and I started looking for another place for him to take the test and we decided to try the new Driver's License Mega Center that was about 30 minutes away. Well, he didn't get to take the driving test on Monday, but we got an appointment for Thursday, TOMORROW! I can hardly believe that by tomorrow afternoon, he may be a driving teen!

Jacob even has a car now! My partner decided to purchase a used car and sold me her old car. I went down yesterday and got the title changed over to me and it now has insurance on it. I am worried about him driving, but also feel like it is a right of passage he needs to go through. He works as a referee and after tomorrow he can now drive himself back and forth to games. He also has to start looking for another job, so he can help pay for his car insurance and gas!

I am a bit worried about throwing Jacob out onto the road. I have been looking at some driving apps that can help me monitor whether or not he is texting or calling while driving. I think I may try CANARY because it is only $9.99 and will send me alerts if Jacob texts or call while driving over 12 MPH. Our car insurance company offers In-Drive, which would get us a 5% discount on his insurance by sending information about his driving to State Farm. For $9.99 a month I can also have alerts sent to me if he is speeding or takes a turn too fast. It isn't that Jacob isn't a good driver, he is, but he is also inexperienced. I don't plan on using this information to punish him, but to open up avenues of discussion about what happened while he was driving.

I am sure my stomach will be in knots as he drives away for the first time. I have to let him leave the nest though, that is part of my job as a mom.

Elijah's Week and Driving with Jacob

Elijah had another awesome week! It is thrilling to see him have such awesome days and to NOT get phone calls from principals! He is also very happy!

Now, let's turn our attention to Jacob. He finished driver's education class and got his permit back in July of 2012. He had to wait at least six months to take his driver's license test AND log 20 hours of driving in that time. He had to get at least 10 hours of daytime driving and other 10 of night time driving. He has all of his daytime hours, but needs those night time hours. He also needs to just PRACTICE a lot more. I made an appointment for the first day of Spring Break to take his test for his license.

So, last night we went out driving into Dallas. Now, we didn't go into downtown Dallas, but he did drive on two highways and on some major streets with LOTS of traffic. He did all after 6:00! Let's just say it was an experience for us both. He didn't quite get that the red tail lights were on because the headlights were on and when the get REALLY BRIGHT, that means the car is BRAKING. Lets just say I said the words BRAKE BRAKE BRAKE a great deal. Overall, he did a good job, but he needs more practice. He also needs to practice parallel parking...YIKES!