I have been having a hard time getting Lianna to understand that vehicle ownership is more than just putting $5 of gas in the car every few days. My father has compounded this issue by giving her unhindered access to his truck, and thinking that he's going to get this by me by putting the term "on loan" on it.
My father has been talking about getting a new vehicle for quite some time now. He indicated to me, in front of Li who at the time had her Learners Permit, that he'd like to "sell" the truck to her for $1 because he'd like to be able to use it from time to time for hauling. Hauling what exactly, I don't know. I informed him at the time that this was not going to happen because he'd essentially be giving her a car. I don't agree with handing 16 year old's a car. It doesn't teach them responsibility. It teaches them that expensive items get handed to them whenever they want them.
I never had a car handed to me until I was in my 20's, married with two kids, and in desperate need of a second vehicle. My mother generously gave me her Eagle Premier - which promptly broke down for good about 3 months later. Even so, I appreciated the gesture. She didn't have to give me her car but she knew I needed it badly.
Li doesn't seem to understand that vehicles run on more than just gas. They have to have oil changes, tire rotations and changes, and regular maintenance. Not to mention that the older a car the more issues you'll begin to have such as alternators, starters, sensors, ball joints, transmissions, etc. Those things don't fix themselves and they cost money to be fixed. She gets all bent out of shape when she wants to use my car and I tell her that she has to put $5 of gas in it.
"But I just put $5 in three days ago!!!" She'll complain. Never mind that she's used the car every day since then and not only is that $5 of gas long gone, so is a good portion of the rest of the gas.
Now I wake up this morning and my father's truck is in my driveway. He's "loaned" it to Li for an indefinite amount of time so that she can get from place to place without having to rely on others for rides or cars. I told Li not to get attached to the truck because she's not going to be keeping it for long. My father just called me and insisted that she's doing him a favor by using the truck because then it's not sitting at the end of his driveway. I wanted to scream at him "IF YOU DIDN'T WANT IT SITTING AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE TRADED IT IN!!"
He suggested that we sit down over dinner soon with my mother and we can come to an agreement. Apparently he thinks that he'll get his way. I let him know that I'm not changing my position on this. He is NOT giving her unhindered access to the truck whenever she wants it simply because he don't want it sitting in his driveway.
End of discussion.
