4everHis Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 to drop a kid off at a cousins house to visit with another friend while the dads watch football? So over an hour on the road? I would not be staying. I'd turn around and come back home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Sure. But we are pretty rural so trips of that length are pretty routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes. My son's best friend lives 35 minutes away. We regularly drive 30+ minutes for our weekly homeschool playgroup so the kids can get together. Some of our families drive this far (and farther) for sports and music several times a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Not every day... or every week probably... but generally? Sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes. I believe friendship among family is something to be coveted, so I would do what I can to encourage it. I'd probably find something to do nearby though, so I wouldn't have to drive home... Or I'd watch football with the guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Coast Mom Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Absolutely, but 35 minutes isn't that big a deal around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Absolutely, but 35 minutes isn't that big a deal around here. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalknot Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes. Like a PP, I'm all for close family friendships. I'm also for time alone in the car listening to loud music I don't want my kids hearing :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yep. I make drives of about that distance several times a week for activities and wouldn't hesitate to do so for something social. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakereese Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes. We do things like that all the time. We are basically 30 minutes from everything, so driving that distance doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 35mins is a short time for what we are used to. I would have a mommy's day out nearby instead of heading home though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie in WI Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes, we live 35 miles from church, work, any shopping, so we are used to driving all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acablue Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes. We drive farther than that (about 50 minutes) to see our favorite family friends at least every other week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I'd whine about it since I'm spoiled for 5-10 minute trips, but I'd do it for a one-time deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I would do it, for a few reasons: 1 - where we lived in TX, to get anywhere you had to drive about that far. Either because we lived in a metro area that was pretty sprawling, so someone in the same general area might be 30 minutes away once you factor in traffic and such, OR later, because we lived in a rural area and so a friend in the area was 30 mins away due to back roads, slow speed limits, and the sprawling nature of driving around farm land to get somewhere. 2 - family relationships are important. Now that we live far away from family, and in a pretty isolated (socially) area all together, I value those friendships and family relationships way more than before. If I hadn't been willing in the past to drive that, I would do so in a heartbeat now. When we are in the US, we drive 1.5 hours one way from our "home base" to see our kids' best friends. I think nothing of it, because friendship & family matters. Plain and simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 to drop a kid off at a cousins house to visit with another friend while the dads watch football? So over an hour on the road? I would not be staying. I'd turn around and come back home. Absolutely. Time spent with cousins will hold its value for a lifetime. Depending on the anticipated length of the visit, and the availability or lack thereof of a ride home for the kid, I might do some errands in the area rather than going home. Find the local branch of my bank, post office, Target, thrift shops, etc. Or, dh and I would split it so that one does drop-off and the other does pick-up, so neither of us feel it sucks up the whole day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I hate driving but I would sometimes if my kids wanted to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Absolutely. Time spent with cousins will hold its value for a lifetime. Depending on the anticipated length of the visit, and the availability or lack thereof of a ride home for the kid, I might do some errands in the area rather than going home. Find the local branch of my bank, post office, Target, thrift shops, etc. Or, dh and I would split it so that one does drop-off and the other does pick-up, so neither of us feel it sucks up the whole day. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runbikeswim Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Everything is a drive for me, 30 minutes is nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghee Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 In a heartbeat, and I'd consider it a short trip ;) I drive 4 hours, round trip, 2-3 times a week. Our homeschool group is 2 hours away, so that is a four hour round trip. I'll be sooooo glad to move to someplace that isn't rural h***, so I can quit driving all day just so the kids can experience things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Depends on how long they would be staying to visit! Visiting time must exceed driving time. Also depends on whether I would be able to find something to do in the area for a shorter visitation time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Ok, I'll be different. It depends how long of an outing would it be. If I could split the driving w/DH and it was at least half a day of cousin bonding? Maybe. Could I roll into errand running or other outings? Maybe. If it were a couple hours of play time? Probably not. I might look to have a sleepover with the cousin or something like that. My parents live 35-45 minutes (to an hour or more in traffic) away and if they want the kids for something we'll often drive them one way, and they'll drive the other and that can make things more doable. FWIW, we do drive up to 30 minutes for activities, but if it's that distance I rarely go home unless it's more than 2-3 hours. Most of our activities are 15-20 minutes (and maybe slightly more in traffic). We live in the city specifically because we don't have to go as far or drive as much as most people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 well, it all depends. if someone is going to be keeping an eye on the boys while they are there, then maybe. if they will just be watching football, then no. if ds really wanted to go, and i really didn't, i might suggest that he choose something i usually do for 30 minutes, and do that, as that is half the time i will lose driving one way. in this house, that is a good litmus test for whether they really want to do something. and all cousins and friends are not the same. if this is a cousin and friend who are nice and are good influences on ds, then i'd be more likely to. fwiw, ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraidycat Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes, absolutely. We recently made two trips to see DH's best friend. We live in California, he lives in North Carolina and we hadn't seen him in almost 4 years. He was in our area, but still 3 hours away (6 hours roundtrip), could not leave the base, and only had about 1.5 hours of free time to visit each time because he was on training exercises (military). We went up and back in the same day just to have lunch with him, twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghee Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 well, it all depends. if someone is going to be keeping an eye on the boys while they are there, then maybe. if they will just be watching football, then no. if ds really wanted to go, and i really didn't, i might suggest that he choose something i usually do for 30 minutes, and do that, as that is half the time i will lose driving one way. in this house, that is a good litmus test for whether they really want to do something. and all cousins and friends are not the same. if this is a cousin and friend who are nice and are good influences on ds, then i'd be more likely to. fwiw, ann I should amend my post. Assuming that the boys will be well supervised and they all get along, yes, I'd drive him. I was only speaking to the drive time in my earlier post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durriyyah Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 It depends on how close they are and how much I would like them to be friends. Before we got a leased vehicle, I wouldn't think about it too much, but now we are watching miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes. Unless he's 4. I probably wouldn't if he were 4, but otherwise, definitely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Occasionally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4everHis Posted October 22, 2012 Author Share Posted October 22, 2012 OK Then! :) I'm headed out to drop boys off. DH will be there watching football so he'll bring them home. Just thought it seemed too far just to head back home again. I' m sucking it up :D Thanks for the encouragement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 It takes me 20 minutes to get to the closest town. We drive there nearly every day for Basketball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I do it all the time, so yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 (edited) Only if it were an occasional thing, and if someone else was returning the child the same day or if the child were spending the night. I would not drop the child off, drive home, go back to pick them up, and then drive home again all in one day. To me, that is too much. DS13 has a friend who lives about 30 min. away and typically one of us will drop off and the other will return the kid so that each of us is only making one trip. Edited October 23, 2012 by contessa20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwantsprinkles Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 On occasion, but not all the time. Would help if the other party reciprocated on occasion too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celia Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Occasionally, yes. Reading through this thread kind of has me surprised at how much driving is normal for many of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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