In this family vlog, Jonah, a 16‑year‑old, obtains a temporary driver’s license in North Carolina. The video captures the lead‑up to the appointment, the emotional reactions of his parents (Speaker A and Speaker C), and the celebratory plans that follow. The parents reminisce about Jonah’s childhood, discuss the practicalities of the licensing process—including recent state loopholes—and express both pride and melancholy as Jonah gains independence. After the license is issued, the family talks about errands such as picking up repaired bikes, buying motorbike parts, and a farm‑fresh celebratory meal. Throughout, the vlog references the family’s eight‑year history of documenting their lives, thanks the audience for support, and offers encouragement to other parents navigating similar milestones.
Chapters
It's your big day. You combed your hair for it too? Driver's license by the end of the day. Where are you gonna go?
You're having me go get the bikes.
Jonah's getting his license today. Good Lord willing and creek don't rise, he'll go on his first errand. Pick up our repaired bikes at REI.
I don't want it to go away. I want to get some motorbike parts.
You gonna take your bro with you? What's your biggest feeling?
It was funny because he's like, can I get a wallet tomorrow? And I was like, yeah. And then I'm like thinking I should be there to help him pick it out, and I'm like, no.
Oh. That's gonna be fun.
He's a big boy. He can do it. I mean, look, I'm like trying to feed my 3-year-old and now my almost—
It was just yesterday he was that. Actually, it was a little longer than that. We had to help you very much when you were little, and then one day you're going to get your own wallet, motorcycle parts. You got cash money? Are you ready? Getting his license today.
You know, most teenagers I'm really nervous about, but I feel like being on the road, but Jonah's really responsible.
Were you nervous for yourself when you got your license at 16?
Oh yeah, yeah.
Wow, this is surreal. I'm putting one's shoes on, I'm driving another one's to get his license, another one to run the farm. Just saw him in front of you. You're next. What is it, next week you start driver's ed? Yeah, we made a mistake. We didn't know there were so many loopholes now in North Carolina to get your license. It was a lot easier when I was 16. Jonah's actually been 16.
I can't find my keys.
For 5 months. I cherish it, I guess. That's good. That's good. We gave ourselves a 15-minute margin. Hopefully there's no traffic. Feel comfortable?
I would be scared to have this job. Getting in cars with teenagers. I'm trying to remember if I had to do this. I guess I did. I took driver's ed in high school. Like, it was one of my— it was 11 o'clock. This is my 11 o'clock class.
2 minutes away. You nervous yet, Mom?
No, I'm nervous for him, but I'm not nervous that he's gonna do bad. I think he's gonna do good.
All right, good luck. They're gonna get signed up. We're definitely gonna try to get a shot of him driving off. Oh boy, I hope he remembers the stop at railroad tracks. He's got to go over a railroad track to get out of here. Hey, don't forget to stop at this train track.
Yeah.
Okay. Oh, you did on your way in? What do you need?
Just your license.
Well, I'm glad I brought that. I see these two playing and I know it's just gonna— he's gonna be that before we know it. And like there's going to be nothing we can do about it. Jonah's getting more and more independent and more and more away from us, and not a thing we can do about it. I think the last time I got emotional like this was when Jonah turned 4. Just one year older than you, buddy. Now he's 16. And as annoying as this is, chasing them around, keeping them by, it's good. And today, this afternoon, he's going away from us. All right, he's getting ready to go driving, huh? We didn't even check our turn signals. It would show me, it would tell me if it didn't work. Yeah, okay, he's in the car. He's gonna drive with that lady? Yeah. He's off! Hey, the lady he's driving with is a fan. Hey, maybe that'll help him. Don't go out! Why did he pull out? He pulled out in front of that car. I guess it wasn't too extreme. How do you feel? You getting emotional?
I'm very emotional.
I'm gonna start crying.
He's my baby. He's my first baby. This is hard.
He's gonna drive away from us this afternoon. I don't know how I feel about that.
This is hard.
Yeah.
Are you emotional? Yeah.
Oh yeah, I had my moment. I couldn't even say it. He was going to drive away this afternoon. He's taking Josiah with him. To come back. He's doing good. Oh, he's stopping at the railroad. Did you get it or what?
Yes.
Let's see it.
It's just a paper one.
What? You just get a paper one for right now?
Yeah, they're gonna send him his real one.
Okay. How's it feeling, man? Just independent. What, you didn't want to drive home? All right, he's over it. He got his hours in, he's ready to go. You don't like driving us? Well, Josiah, your boy's got his freedom. You running off with him?
Yeah.
So what's the agenda?
We're gonna go get stuff to fix the motorbike and four-wheeler and then get the bikes.
Will you vlog on Jonah's phone? Sure. Hey, we can't go with you, but we want to go with you. Okay, I should go with him. Oh, he's nice. He's like, you can come.
They don't want to go by themselves. They want me to come. They want me. They want mom to come. They've been looking for so many years.
Come here, big guy. Big guy. I wonder if we'll be so emo like this when you're there. Jonah kind of breaks it in for everybody.
I know, when Henry is driving, I know I get a special meal.
We're gonna get a special meal tonight, buddy. That's where it starts. How ironic. Look who's back. How was it?
And more motorcycles closed, and you have to be 18 to sign to get the bikes.
Are you serious? Yeah. No way, this was a dud trip. They wouldn't let you pay with my credit card? Nope. Any more is closed because it's Monday. Yeah. Well, how was the trip though? How do you drive, Josiah? Good. Were you scared? No. You did good. Yeah. Well, I'm sorry it was such a dud trip. Tell us about this meal for Jonas. Celebration.
We got hamburgers, lettuce from the garden, and then potatoes.
Farm-friendly meal. Happy you got your license today.
Yes, congratulations.
I don't feel like I can do anything with it because I went to town. I couldn't do any of the errands that I planned.
Fool's errands. Oh my. Who would you like to eat this celebratory meal with? A nice burger from the land, gluten-free bun, lettuce. I can't think of anybody better else. Than to be eating and celebrating with. Cherish these days, Beck. Closing remark to all the young parents out there: people say to you, oh, don't blink, it's almost over. I'm not gonna say that because when you're day in, day out, it's forever. It's forever. And I validate you in that feeling. Don't worry about it, you'll have plenty of time later for sentiment. So just all I can say is hang in there. Hang in there. It's hard. Hang in there. You can do it. And one more thing, a special message to you guys. We've been vlogging for 8 years. You're 16. You were 8. You guys have seen him grow up with us, and we've enjoyed sharing our lives with you, his life with you. Thank you for being there with us when he got injured, your prayers and well wishes, and then being happy for him on birthdays and to see him start taking control of milk chores and things like that. He's grown up before all of our eyes, so I recognize that this may have some emotion for you, but also for your own memories. Maybe when you were a kid getting 16, or if you have a child that, you know, if you had to go through a child growing up.
So he's the first. Yeah, I think it's the hardest.
Yeah.
He doesn't need me like he used to. Like Henry, he needs you.
It was fun. It was drastic.
We're having the biggest shift. You used to be just like Henry, needing me so much. Now you're like driving away and doing errands. And like going to buy things that I'm not a part of your life. And so—
Did you get you a wallet? You were gonna get a wallet today. No, I didn't.
I felt like the first is gonna be the hardest, but then— I'm definitely gonna— we're gonna celebrate all day long. Oh my goodness, rock!
