I picked up the 98 Civic EX on Saturday with my wife and daughter.
I drove it half way home and stopped at a large industrial parking lot.
I had her start off without the gas and that went well. Then she started
adding gas to her starts. After 15 minutes driving around the parking lot we
headed out into the industrial park roads, no traffic on Saturday. shifting
up through the gears were no problem. I had her downshift to feel the
braking affect of the engine and I could see the look of finally
understanding what I had been talking about, She could feel the downshift
better than I could explain it.
Backing up is a problem, the gas is very sensitive backing up. I told her
that many times you can let the clutch out to get going and then push it
back it to coast while you concentrate on steering. this seemed to help.
after 1/2 hour of this I drove to a store in the town next to our home town.
Sally waited in the car. After I came out I told her to drive us to the next
store just up the street which she did, Here I showed her she had to shift
into 2nd halfway through the turn. Still no problems. After this purchase I
had her drive us home. Later that afternoon I told her to take her older
daughter out for a spin around the neighborhood, She said " By myself" I
said " I think you are ready? what do you think" Shoulda seen the beam on
her face!! She was ready.
She got back and told me she got stuck on a slight incline waiting to get
gas and someone pulled up right behind her. She stalled twice then used the
parking brake trick to get going.
Then that night she took the car to work..

I want to go out with her tonight for awhile to make sure she is not picking
up any bad habits.... and to practice starting on a hill.

WHAT WOULD BE SOME BAD HABITS????  Like not resting your foot on the clutch,
I've drilled into her to DRIVE FIRST! meaning, if you get into trouble
shifting, don't lose sight of where you are going and the traffic around
you. STEER FIRST!!
If you are having trouble, put your flashers on to warn those behind you..
I will tell her about not using the clutch to coast around turns like
someone mentioned.
One thing I want to tell her and I don't know if this is bad or not. When
she backs out of our driveway, she turns stops and shifts into first. When I
do it, I get the car rolling in reverse( driveway slopes slightly downhill
going out of the driveway) I turn and I put it in first while still rolling
backwards, hit the brake to come to a full stop and I'm ready to release the
clutch and drive off. I smile seeing her stop for 5 seconds while she gets
out of reverse and into 1st to get going.  :-)  then a couple of lurches
while she get going, then I heard the engine rev as she missed 2nd and gave
it gas while she was in neutral.

Thanks for your help. I though Sally picked it up very fast. Now she just
needs to practice.

Steve