Entering a new phase in life can often open up a whole new awareness of experiences happening in the world around you.

Activities that have always been going on nearby, but just didn’t catch your attention before, are immediately fascinating, as you find yourself passionately involved in this new pursuit.

While I’m not seeing baby bumps in abundance at present, I am encountering ‘L’ plate drivers carefully tucked away around every corner.

They are popping up at intersections too, as our family slaps on the ‘L’ plates to embark on the development or our first teenage solo driver.

We’re only at the very beginning of our journey, so I’m feeling affinity with all the other supervising drivers out there courageously climbing back into the front passenger seat.

At the four-hour mark, I’m starting to feel quite natural with Katianna at the controls, and she is becoming more confident about taking the wheel.

Taller than me now, there is no need for adjustments to mirrors or seat heights, so once I have the log book on my lap and we are all strapped in, she is undeniably in the driver’s seat.

Driving is something that many of us take for granted.

You do forget how difficult it is to sit the car in the middle of the lane, avoid crashing into parked cars and watch absolutely everything at once, while accelerating, braking, indicating and getting somewhere specific, while having your two little sisters shrieking with fear in the back seat. Thanks girls. Sorry Katianna.

I have noticed some odd language coming out of my own mouth too though.

Rather than the usual lectures about pretty much anything that crosses my mind, I find myself uttering things like, “Chuck a left at the end of this street”, and “Hang a righty onto the main road”.

I’m pretty sure this kind of drivel is not very helpful to a learner, so I am trying to clean up my act.

I’ve explained to Katianna that she’s not the only person doing something risky here; it is my first time as a supervising driver, so just like all my other parenting endeavours, my eldest child will be my teacher as I learn.