Supervising a new driver is a different task from driving well yourself. The skills that make you competent behind the wheel became automatic years ago, which makes them difficult to explain to someone performing each one consciously for the first time. A plan helps more than patience alone.
Handle the Paperwork First
Confirm your teen holds a valid learner permit before any practice on public roads. Contact your insurer as well, since coverage for a permitted driver is not automatic with every policy and the notification requirements differ between companies. Verify that the practice vehicle is registered, inspected where required, and mechanically sound, paying particular attention to brakes, tires, and lights.
Most states require a documented log of supervised hours. Start recording from the first session rather than reconstructing it later, and note the conditions of each drive, not just the duration.
Build Difficulty Gradually
Resist the temptation to progress quickly because a session went well. A sensible sequence moves from empty lots to quiet residential streets, then to moderate traffic, multi-lane roads, and finally highways, night driving, and poor weather. Each stage should feel almost boring before you advance.
Variety matters more than accumulated hours. A teen with forty hours in identical daylight conditions is less prepared than one with twenty-five spread across rain, darkness, and unfamiliar routes.
Coach Without Escalating
Give instructions early and specifically. Saying "turn right at the next intersection" well in advance produces a better outcome than an urgent correction delivered late. Keep your voice level, because a raised voice reliably degrades performance in a driver who is already at capacity.
Debrief after the drive rather than during it. Pick one or two things to work on next time instead of listing everything that went wrong. If a session becomes tense, end it early. Nothing useful is learned after that point.
Supervision rules, minimum practice hours, and permit holding periods vary considerably. Check the requirements in your state before you build your practice schedule, and review the graduated licensing restrictions that will apply once your teen is licensed.