Ladies and Moms (ok Dads too) - Manual or Automatic for my baby girl and why!

Originally Posted by Cuban Z

My daughter, who is very responsible and gets good grades in school, has had her license for 6+ months. She's a good driver, confident even in traffic, and is ready for her very first car. New or used is easy...used. stick or automatic is the current debate. Mom, and most people say automatic, but most of them don't know how to operate a manual. Dad, on the other hand (the guy paying for it) wants to get her a manual. My reason is very simple, I want her to know how to drive a manual. I believe that it is an important skill that will serve her all of her life, and an enjoyable one at that. My opposition claims safety concerns and fear she'll get in an accident. My daughter wants an automatic, further complicating matters, but I feel she will thank me later. Ultimately I will make the decision that I feel is best for my kid, but as part of that decision-making process I'm welcoming input. So with that as background, what would you as a parent decide and why. I'd also be interested in hearing from the ladies, do you drive a manual or wish you knew how? Thanks in advance for your input.