Awe at What Mom Teaches 9-Year-Old Daughter: 'Built Different'
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
When a mom from Tennessee woke up one morning last week, the last thing she expected was having to give her nine-year-old driving lessons.
Taylor Clark shared a clip on TikTok (@taylorctn423) showing their collapsed garage door on top of the family truck.
As a single mom from the South with no neighbors answering their phones and her usual go-to already gone for the day, Clark had no backup—except her own daughter, Sophie.
Split view of single mother instructing daughter how to reverse family truck and holding up garage door.
Split view of single mother instructing daughter how to reverse family truck and holding up garage door.
@taylorctn423
"All I could think was, 'Well, time to teach Sophie how to back the truck out'," the 31-year-old told Newsweek. "I had every ounce of confidence that she could do it and she did. We're Southerners so kids driving four-wheelers, golf carts [and] farm trucks is the norm here."
Viewers can't hear Clark's calm instructions as she used AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" for the clip's audio, but she recalled exactly what she told her daughter.
"I told her, 'Your left foot is useless, leave it to the side. Put your right foot on the brake and ease your foot off when I tell you to.'
"Once I got the garage lifted off my truck I said, 'OK, now gently ease your foot off the brake. Easy. Now brake!'"
Clark then lifts the garage door off the truck, and Sophie reverses the vehicle like someone who had been driving for years.
Confident the garage wasn't going to fall completely, Clark went over to park the truck for her daughter, but Sophie had already done it.
"She hopped out very proud of herself and we laughed 'cause we can't believe we just had to do that," Clark said.
The mom explained in her caption how things could have been worse if her truck didn't have rails on top. "My days are never boring," she added.
Over seven million users viewed the clip and Clark's cool-headed approach left viewers in awe.
"Teach your girls to be strong this way they don't need a man!" one user wrote.
"The definition of built different," the profile for Duracell batteries commented.
"With a sundress and tiptoes?! You win the day," another added.
Clark told Newsweek that internet users have been supportive of Sophie who handled the situation "like a champ."
"They were mainly wanting to know who was recording the video, and it was my six-year-old daughter Charlotte," Clark said. "I handed Charlotte the phone and said, 'Record this or no one will believe us'."
After the driving lesson was over, Clark called her dad—who lives six hours away—to help her get the garage door fixed.
"Best dad in the world," she said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Lamborghini CEO Doesn't Regret Reviving Countach, But Won't Do It Again
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Lamborghini revived the Countach vehicle name in 2022 for a new model run. It was a tack never taken before, and something the company will not repeat in the future, the brand's CEO Stephan Winkelmann told Newsweek during an interview at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. "I'm looking into one name, and then it's done, and we go ahead," he said. "We are measured by what we are doing. In the next generations, if they look back and they see a repetition of a car which is already done, they would say, 'Ah, they were running out of ideas'." The original Countach was made by Lamborghini from 1974 to 1990. It is a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car that was designed by noted Italian firm Bertone. Its wedge-shaped looks were the stuff of childhood dreams for many Gen Xers who had posters of the car in their bedrooms. The new Countach, "is a bit of the DNA in terms of design and technical layout," Winkelmann said, pointing toward the model's scissor doors, engine layout and greenhouse. It's a limited-series hybrid supercar that offers up 599 kilowatts of acceleration and passing power, with a maximum speed of 220 miles per hour. Much of the new Countach's design and engineering setup mirrors the original. But, with the hybrid powertrain and sleek front end, it's very much a modern car. "All of this is part of what Lamborghini is about today," the CEO said. "To make a re-edition was not a bad idea [but] I would not do it again," he offered. Still, Winkelmann doesn't regret it. "No, never. No regrets in life." Winkelmann believes three vehicle elements make Lamborghini successful: names, designs and technology. Lamborghini traditionally names its cars after renowned bulls, a tradition that began in 1966 with the debut of Miura. Countach was the successor to Miura as part of a project spearheaded by Ferruccio Lamborghini, the founder of Automobili Lamborghini. Countach is one of the rare exceptions. It was named after the Piedmontese exclamation of amazement at seeing something beautiful. Over 2,000 original Countachs were made. Just 112 new Countachs were created. The number 112 is significant to the lineup as Countach's original project name in the 1970s was LP112.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Elon Musk and JD Vance's Relationship Under Scrutiny Amid 2028 Talk
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Elon Musk is considering backing Vice President JD Vance in the 2028 presidential election, according to reports on the billionaire's political movements. The tech CEO formed a new party and pledged to contest both Republicans and Democrats at the 2026 midterms, but his relationship with Vance, who considers Musk a personal friend, may not be as damaged as it seems. Newsweek has contacted Musk via email to the X press office for comment. Why It Matters With Trump constitutionally ineligible to run for a third term, Vance is the closest thing the GOP has to an heir apparent. As Trump's vice president, he is a favorite take the Republican nomination in the next presidential election, though 2028 remains a long way off. Musk, who campaigned prominently with the Republican ticket last year, has claimed credit for Trump's 2024 victory, and while some in the White House may disagree, Musk's $300 million-deep pockets would be a significant asset in 2028, regardless of who runs. What To Know Vance, who has described Musk as a "very good friend," had hoped for a reconciliation between the billionaire and the White House at the height of their feud in June. Now, the vice president's wish may have come true as Musk is considering rolling back his pledge to contest Republican seats in Congress and supporting Vance in a 2028 run, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. Musk has been "focused in part on maintaining ties" with Vance, sources close to him told the outlet. While Musk announced plans in July to form an America Party, which could split Republican votes in close seats in 2026, he has since expressed concern that his support for the party would damage his relationship with the vice president, The Wall Street Journal reported. He has also expressed interest in using his finances to back Vance should he run in 2028, the outlet said. Musk responded to the report on Wednesday, writing on X, "Nothing @WSJ says should ever be thought of as true." President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Vice President-elect JD Vance at the 125th Army-Navy football game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, on December 14, 2024. President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Vice President-elect JD Vance at the 125th Army-Navy football game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, on December 14, 2024. Getty Images Musk and Vance remained cordial even when Musk was feuding with the White House over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with Vance being one of the only figures in the Trump administration that did not draw Musk's ire on social media. When Musk departed from the White House in May, Vance said in a Newsmax interview: "I am going to miss him. Elon's become a very good friend over the campaign and certainly over his time in Washington. He and his kids have come to our house and had dinner with our kids. I'm very close to him." The two have moved in the same groups for years, with both of them, alongside other members of Trump's inner circle, having a close relationship with venture capitalist Peter Thiel. Vance is something of a protégé to Thiel, who pushed him to run for the Senate in Ohio and later introduced him to Trump at Mar-a-Lago in a 2021 meeting Thiel set up. Musk and Thiel are both members of the "PayPal mafia," a group of investors named after the company they cofounded. They also share many views on the development of tech in the future of humanity. What People Are Saying Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with Theo Von in June, during the height of Musk's anger with Trump: "I'm the vice president to President Trump. My loyalty is always going to be with him. I think that Elon is an incredible entrepreneur. He's done a lot. I think DOGE was really good. This effort to root out waste, fraud and abuse in our country was really good. "Look man, I'm always going to be loyal to the president, and I hope that eventually Elon comes back into the fold. Maybe that's not possible because he's gone so nuclear, but I hope it is." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether Musk will proceed with his America Party. If Vance intends to run in 2028, he likely won't announce for quite some time.
Newsweek
21 hours ago
- Newsweek
Nissan's New Leaf EV Comes With a Low Price Tag But a Steep Cost
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. For years, automotive industry executives have calmly and patiently explained that as advances in battery technology occur, and as battery-electric vehicles become more prevalent, the cost of batteries will come down and the price tags of EVs will follow. In the last decade, many automakers have promised lower-cost EVs but failed to deliver. Tesla, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia and Fiat are the closest to that proposition. The cheapest EV that can be purchased outright today in the U.S. is the Fiat 500e with a manufacturer's suggested retail price starting at $30,500. Last week, Nissan announced that the redesigned, next-generation 2026 Nissan Leaf will be priced to start at $29,990, nearly $3,000 less than the price of the first-generation Leaf when it was introduced in 2011. "Nissan is committed to making EV mobility accessible to all. That commitment is reflected in the pricing of the new 2026 Leaf," Michael Arbuckle, senior manager of the chief marketing management department at Nissan, told Newsweek. While the Nissan's cost may be low, the automaker is running into challenges from both the government and consumers. The Trump Administration's evolving tariff policies and a lack of charging infrastructure build out related to the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program haven't boosted customer opinions about EVs. Prospective EV drivers frequently cite cost and lack of charging capability as two of the main reasons for being hesitant about pulling the trigger on a model. "While tariffs remain a dynamic and evolving situation, Nissan remains committed to offering competitive vehicle pricing while strategically managing inventory to meet consumer demand," Arbuckle said. Nissan has shuffled its EV plans in recent years, scrapping the timeline for bringing electric U.S.-made sedans to market and pushing back the launch of the Leaf toward the end of this year. "Nissan has a larger problem than the Leaf's pricing or basic strategy," Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst and associate director of AutoIntelligence at S&P Global Mobility, told Newsweek. "Delaying new EVs in the U.S. saved money and the idea of trying to time the market for when there is more volume to be had from EVs makes sense. Nissan doesn't need to be first to market to be credible in the EV space by the end of the decade. Delays and changes impacted the overall product plan over the past four years; the next four should look better for product cadence, but a lot of ground was lost," she said. With a new Chevrolet Bolt on the horizon and a more budget-friendly EV from Ford in the works, Leaf will face increasingly tough competition as it ages. Nissan needs a success. The company has around $54 billion in debt and has struggled to find a buyer. Ivan Espinosa, the automaker's fourth CEO in six years, aims to turn the company around. Interior of the 2026 Nissan Leaf. Interior of the 2026 Nissan Leaf. Nissan "The internal combustion engine vehicle lineup was allowed to age, and new generations have not stoked notable sales gains in the U.S. yet. Nissan is an automaker which has not been able to recover from the external impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2018, global sales were 5.0 million units. The low point was in 2022 with 2.9 million. Nissan increased to 3.1 million units in 2023, but our forecast shows Nissan will continue falling through the rest of the decade," Brinley said.
