Parents are always very worried when their child turns 15 and gets closer and closer to the possibility that they'll get a driver's permit and possibly get on the road someday. So what do we do? Well, some kids at 15, at 15 1/2, will be ready, they're organized, they're clearheaded, they're not so impulsive, they're thoughtful, they're careful. I think these kids can handle getting a permit. Others cannot. Having had one of each, raising a boy and a girl, having a son with attention deficit disorder and some visual spatial learning difficulties? In fact, he couldn't read a map. How was I going to let him get on the freeway? Well something happened and I hear this happens a lot with people in my practice. Parents will say to me "You know, my son's old enough but he hasn't started showing any interest." And then I say, "That's fine". If your child doesn't have interest in driving it may be that he suspects that he's not quite ready. Now on the other hand, you might have a child who's zipping to go ahead, but you also don't think he's ready. Well, I think what you do is say "Sure, you can get your permit", but put as much responsibility as you can on him to come up with the booklet, to do the studying, to make the appointment, to take the test. Chances are they'll flub up a lot in that process and if you're lucky you can postpone it until he's 16, 17, or like my son, didn't do it until 19.