This is for kids old enough to drive. That's 16 in most places. Have them find the spare tire in the family car. (Is it in the trunk? is it slung underneath the minivan? Is it on the rear hatchback? Where could a Detroit yo-yo hide the spare this year?) And find the jack and the lug wrench. Note to parents, if your car doesn't have a jack and a lug wrench you ought to go out and get them. Town dump and auto junk yards ought to have old ones. Get the kid[s] to set the parking brake before jacking up the car. Pop the hub cap off. Have them loosen the lug nuts while the weight of the car is on the flat wheel. After the car is up on the jack, the necessary heave-ho needed to break the lug nuts loose may throw the car off the jack. Loosen means less than one quarter turn. A small can of penetrating oil will help with rusty and stuck lug nuts. With the car jacked up, back off all the lug nuts, put them in the hubcap, and pull the flat wheel off. Put the spare on. Put the lug nuts back on, tighten lightly, don't knock the car off the jack. Lower the jack and then tighten all the lug nuts. Put the hubcap back on. Check the air pressure in the spare. It has been aging in the trunk for years and it might have a slow leak and be close to flat itself. If the spare isn't too flat, drive down to the nearest gas station that has air and pump it up. This part is easier if you have a tire pressure gauge in the car. They are only a few dollars at the auto parts store. For extra credit get the kid[s] to stow the flat wheel, the jack, and the lug wrench so that they won't rattle when you hit a bump.
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