The southern US (actually most of the US) is very car centric. Our homes, neighborhoods, subdivisions, retail centers, schools, communities, cities, and entire states are designed to be that way. The South also has a reputation as being rude and/or ignorant to cyclists. Oftentimes, cycling facilities (bike lanes, separate bike/ped/MUP) are nonexistent.

I have been commuting by bike since high school, through college, and my entire adult life. 45 years old now. I have 4 kids. One in high school, one in middle school, two in elementary. The oldest is our only girl. She is the one that has resisted commuting by bike. The other three gladly commute to school by bike on most days. That being said, there is much to learn and I didn't just turn any of them loose on our city streets to figure it out. We started commuting by bike to their pre-schools in bike trailers, recumbent tandems, tagalong tandems, etc., until first or second grade. We have a Bike Friday Triple Tandem that serves as our fast human powered school bus. They rode their own 20" geared bikes. We have two 24" commuter/full on touring bikes with solid components and front/rear racks. We have a 47cm Surly Long Haul Trucker w/ 26" wheels and a 17.5" converted Specialized Rock Hopper. The point is, they were all raised around bicycling, rules of the road, auto traffic sense, finding alternate routes, etc. This is key. Find routes through connecting low traffic volume streets. Use bike lanes, bike paths, and trails if you've got them. Pay attention, be safe.
My oldest son uses quieter neighborhood streets, granite paths, and trails through the creek to get under main arterial roads and the highway during the busy morning and afternoon commute. It is about 8.5 miles each way for him. He rides the Specialized, an old steel mtn bike that has been rebuilt for him. Continental tires, nice saddle, lights, lock, rack, etc. This bike serves him well over the mixed terrain on his 17 mile roundtrip commute.

I live in Austin, Tx. Auto traffic has become atrocious but we do have a long standing cycling culture, here. We recently received a gold status from LOBV as a bicycle friendly community, although I feel it is much less so than 20 years ago. We didn't have cycling facilities then, but traffic was much lighter and friendlier. I ride bikes and/or tour as much as possible, everywhere I go. Many places, particularly Colorado, west coast, Ohio, Pa, DC area, New York, etc. are much more bike friendly than Texas and in the south. That being said, we also ride in Houston, San Antonio, DFW, Memphis, Tn, and panhandle of Florida quite frequently. Ridden quite a bit in areas of the south where the cycling was nice. New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Memphis, Birmingham. Atlanta has several longer distance connecting bike path systems. Most of the south, however, not so much.

Use low speed roads, ride big, stay visible. Hook up with other bike commuters and cyclists via your local LBS and ride with them or get advice on your route and tips in general ?