It is always difficult to decide when your teen is ready for the next level of independence. At what age should they start to baby-sit or mow the lawn? This can be even more difficult after a brain injury. A brain injury may impair a teen’s ability to make good decisions. It is up to you, as the parent, to reassess how much independence your teen should have and when they are ready for more freedom.
Driving
A great example is the privilege of driving. Maybe your teen was able to drive before the accident or maybe they are approaching driving age. Knowing when to let your teen drive is always difficult. There are a lot of things to consider and you may not be sure how to tell if they are ready.
You may have added concerns due to the brain injury. Deciding whether or not your child should drive after an accident is even more difficult because you may be unsure of your child’s current abilities. You may be afraid that their decision making abilities are impaired or that they may get hurt again. The best thing you can do is to continually reassess your child’s skills and abilities to determine when are ready to take that next step.