
Taking the Car Keys Away
One of the most difficult "talks" adult children can have with their aging parents is about driving. Taking away the keys means a loss of freedom and independence and is understandably fraught with resistance. For 41-year-old Kristin Leidig-Sears, that conversation came sooner than she expected. Nine months ago, her mom, 75-year-old Dwan Leidig suffered a stroke and has been unable to drive. As a result, Kristin and her husband, Dan, have had to drive Dwan everywhere. Kristin is already pushed to the limit working full time as a teacher, raising their 4-year-old daughter and about to give birth in 6 weeks. Her mother Dwan desperately wants to get her license back and has made it very clear to Kristin that she intends to do just that. But first she must take a driving test and prove that she can safely get behind the wheel of a car.