When I was thinking about what to write about for this article, I stood in my office and simply looked around. Then, it hit me. I saw my portable GPS Navigation system’s box. Bingo.
Think about it. What is one of the scariest things you can allow your child to do? I’ll tell you: letting them get licensed to be behind a wheel (likely yours).
I can only imagine the anxiety parents feel when their baby pulls out of the driveway for the first time and especially when they take their first long trip. Personally, I was nervous enough for my parents and I combined. But, at the end of the day, when that day came when I had to take my first “road-trip” to my DECA State Officer Training almost two hours away having my license for only 3 months, I did it.
Ok well, I had a little help. Operating the car…I was covered. Directions…no way. Not a clue. That’s when I met my driving partner: my Garmin. According to BestBuy.com Garmin is their top selling GPS brand. I bought mine several years ago and still swear by it. It is an invaluable tool to have and an investment worth making for the safety of your child. I cannot tell you how many times I made wrong turns in an unfamiliar area and my GPS has come to the rescue. Rain or shine, for better or for worse, my Garmin comes through. Like the North Star, it always leads me in the right direction, which is usually home. I never have to worry about detours or construction. I do not fret about long road trips (even out of state!). In fact, my favorite feature about my Garmin is that it estimates your arrival time which comes in especially handy to tell your hosts/friends that you are traveling to!
Below are some more features about my Garmin that I love:
- Pedestrian mode- very helpful in big cities like New York or Baltimore. Search for restaurants, shopping, lodging, or transit in seconds and on the go!
- Virtual Map & Voice-instead of just bulleted or numbered directions my Garmin speaks to me and shows me my path/next move on the screen highlighted in pink.
- My Favorites-my address book where I store vital addresses like my relatives, physicians and simply favorite places like the beach!
- My parents love it. It takes a lot of stress off them as well as my friends’ parents because they know that no matter what, I know where I am going and approximately, when I am going to get there.
My closing thoughts: before you become reliant on your GPS, become familiar with a road map and general directions. Know the major highways of your area as well as interstates. It is much easier to learn it earlier because once you go GPS you will forget the rest! Lastly, always remember to just look up and read signs. Directions may be easier than your GPS is telling you!