The driving..oh, the driving! -JAWM

[Hilltopmom]

** note- really, JAWM, no advice needed. But Feel free to commiserate if you too, are driving too much :)

 

 

I don't know what I was thinking this year. I am never home for more than a couple of hours at once.

 

And we live 20 minutes from town, & the teens don't drive yet. No public transportation here :(

 

Between ds who has DE @ the CC 2 mornings a week, dd's dance 4 afternoons a week, OWL one day, teen volunteering one full day, robotics a few days, plus, you know, grocery shopping, dr appointments, dentist, orthodontist, occassional play dates, 4 H, theater productions ...

 

And Ds is adding an internship 3 days a week on top of DE (way too good to turn down). This will be a big wake up call, time wise, for him, since academic work won't get started until he gets home after lunch those days!

 

Not much "home" in homeschooling this year.

I knew it would be like this, but it looked better on paper than in reality.

We're doing more, plus the 2 big kid schedules don't line up nicely for pick up & drop off in town at different places/ different times like they have in years past.

 

Man, I wish it wasn't so pricey to live "in town" here. Living out in the country is for the farmers, I'm over it!

 

ETA- it might not be so bad if we could listen to Great Courses or audiobooks or chat nicely on the drive, but two cranky littles fussing in the back makes that almost impossible.

Edited October 10, 2016 by Hilltopmom

[Jen500]

I hear you!!

[MerryAtHope]

Oy! Whew, I'm exhausted just reading all that! I hope it's a good year for you though!

[Jean in Newcastle]

I drive 3 to 3 1/2 hours every single day. 

[TX Native]

.

Edited April 30, 2017 by TX native

[tampamommy]

I do a lot of driving, too, with dd's(18) schedule. I did for ds (almost 20) too, when he was home. So I get it!!!

 

Here is a perspective from hindsight, where I am now looking back over the past 10 years.

 

DS hasn't been home from school for eight months. Thanksgiving will be a grand reunion, with him home for a few short days.He and I look back on our driving years with so much fondness now. We shared so many wonderful conversations, "solved" some of the world's problems, and laughed so hard we almost cried. Much of the time, as he grew, we used that time to talk. Some of our deepest and best conversations have happened in the car. We sometimes used to pull in the garage when we got home, turn off the car, and sit there for another 30 minutes or more finishing discussions.

 

I am now treasuring the time driving with dd...and when I get weary of it (just because it can be tiring!), I remind myself how fast it flies by. We are doing our best to make memories while we have the in-person time together. She likely has only 8-9 months left at home. I know from talking with her that she finds it to be special time, too. 

 

All that to say...in the end, when they all have flown the coop, I think you will be ever so glad you did what you are doing!!! :)

[freesia]

Yeah--we aren't quite as bad, but getting there.  I grew up in a city and walked or took public transportation where ever I wanted to go.  We aren't rural exactly, but between 2 towns in a suburban area.  My kids have no social life or activities unless I can get them there (okay, except our church activities next door), I need to find something to do while I drive b/c it is so mind numbingly boring.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Oh I'm so glad we do have public transport.  DS-14 takes the bus to various places.  I'm still carting everyone around a lot, but it could be worse.

 

I think the worst part is all the sitting around and waiting.  I bring stuff to do, but in several places they don't even have chairs.  I have to sit on the hard floor!

 

 

[quark]

Hugs! I just changed my tires. Again. Ouch.

 

I did it so much today that I didn't realize I was making the four 45-minute round trip drives in my house slippers (didn't even change to my usual sandals). So absent minded with all the things I needed to accomplish.

 

:driving:

[Hilltopmom]

I do a lot of driving, too, with dd's(18) schedule. I did for ds (almost 20) too, when he was home. So I get it!!!

 

Here is a perspective from hindsight, where I am now looking back over the past 10 years.

 

DS hasn't been home from school for eight months. Thanksgiving will be a grand reunion, with him home for a few short days.He and I look back on our driving years with so much fondness now. We shared so many wonderful conversations, "solved" some of the world's problems, and laughed so hard we almost cried. Much of the time, as he grew, we used that time to talk. Some of our deepest and best conversations have happened in the car. We sometimes used to pull in the garage when we got home, turn off the car, and sit there for another 30 minutes or more finishing discussions.

 

I am now treasuring the time driving with dd...and when I get weary of it (just because it can be tiring!), I remind myself how fast it flies by. We are doing our best to make memories while we have the in-person time together. She likely has only 8-9 months left at home. I know from talking with her that she finds it to be special time, too.

 

All that to say...in the end, when they all have flown the coop, I think you will be ever so glad you did what you are doing!!! :)

Good perspective :)

Right now, sadly, our car trips are mostly full of listening to crying toddlers who have spent too much time in the car.. Not much discussion going on, or audio books, or the things I wish we could be doing... Evening trips though, littles stay home with daddy to go to bed early, those are nice

[Rebel Yell]

BTDT!!!

Last year's schedule was a nightmare... 3-4 days of dance, plus 5-6 days of rehearsals, shows 5-6 nights a week Nov-Dec for SweetChild, and 3 nights of karate, 2 robotics for the BabyBaby, plus church and youth group for both.

 

Ours was complicated by the 4 part time jobs Diamond held, so if either younger sister had to be anywhere at the same time I was the one who ended up driving in circles all day to get everyone where they needed to be because we only had one car available during the day- DH works an hour away so NOT worth the time and tolls to drop him off at work. Even though Diamond could drive, I couldn't just let her take the car. It was especially aggravating because in my state, drivers with a learners permit had to have a supervising driver age 21+, and of course Diamond didn't turn 21 until 10 freaking days before SweetChild was eligible to test for her license. 😡

 

While I genuinely enjoyed the chat time in the car with the girls and often their friends, it was very very hard on me. I should have been home more to do more direct instruction with BabyBaby. I was always scrambling to do the bare minimum for dinner, laundry, cleaning. And my back and legs would go into painful spasms from all the time spent in the car. We have old ('03 caravan, '06 Aveo) cars and they spent a LOT of time at the mechanic's. Trying to do our usual schedule with a car out for a repair is a misery I'd only wish on the worst of my worst enemies. 🙄

 

Life changed up a little this year. SweetChild and BabyBaby changed up their extra curricular activities, adding some, eliminating some. Diamond has two part time jobs, one is with her dad so they ride to work together, plus she bought her own car. So it is still busy, but nowhere near the nightmare that it had been.

 

And honestly, all of the driving really only impacted ME. I didn't have to drag little ones around. But everytime the car was out, I was in it. And I had to make each trip twice for drop off and pick up, so for each destination my time in the car was double that of the passenger. So it wasn't as tiring for them... They simply hopped into the Magic Portal, opened the door at their destination, and went about their merry way. I actually avoided desperately needed chiropractor appointments because I absolutely could not deal with one more car trip.

Edited October 7, 2016 by Rebel Yell

[MysteryJen]

I do a ton of driving. Much more this year, as I lost my most useful driver to college. We drive an average of 25 minutes to the main pool, 35 minutes to secondary pools, and 45-50 minutes to judo. Swimming is everyday, 6 days a week and 3 morning practices (out of the house by 5 am). Judo is 3 times a week as is aikido, but it lines up with swimming. I try very hard not to drive during the day...and we moved to a new town, so I don't have too so much. But the swim schedule and length of drive did not change. 

 

The car has been great with teens. Though it was hard with littles, it does get better. They get used to it, you get used to it. Audio books, special car books and toys, and on those "special" sort of days, lollipops.

 

I do treasure the time in the car. We have had a lot of fun, good conversations, and decompression time.

[Hilltopmom]

Seriously considering getting a DVD player for the van.

 

I cannot wait until the littles will listen to audiobooks on the drive!

[hopskipjump]

We live IN town and still drive hours each Tues, Wed, and Thurs. and weekends.

 

Mondays and Fridays are sacred around here. The kids don't even want to do anything with friends on Friday nights, because it means more driving and having to leave the house! 😂

[JoJosMom]

** note- really, JAWM, no advice needed. But Feel free to commiserate if you too, are driving too much :)

 

 

I don't know what I was thinking this year. I am never home for more than a couple of hours at once.

 

And we live 20 minutes from town, & the teens don't drive yet. No public transportation here :(

 

Between ds who has DE @ the CC 2 mornings a week, dd's dance 4 afternoons a week, OWL one day, teen volunteering one full day, robotics a few days, plus, you know, grocery shopping, dr appointments, dentist, orthodontist, occassional play dates, 4 H, theater productions ...

 

And Ds is adding an internship 3 days a week on top of DE (way too good to turn down). This will be a big wake up call, time wise, for him, since academic work won't get started until he gets home after lunch those days!

 

Not much "home" in homeschooling this year.

I knew it would be like this, but it looked better on paper than in reality.

We're doing more, plus the 2 big kid schedules don't line up nicely for pick up & drop off in town at different places/ different times like they have in years past.

 

Man, I wish it wasn't so pricey to live "in town" here. Living out in the country is for the farmers, I'm over it!

 

 

Word.

 

And I only have one.

 

(I never in a million years thought I'd be longing for DD to get her license.  She'll take possession of my car, but I'm totally cool with that. :blink: )

Edited October 8, 2016 by JoJosMom

[daijobu]

I hear ya, too.  Can we reserve a special place in hell for (1) people who text while driving on the freeway and (2) people who crawl along in front of me while approaching a stale green light, then speed up to make it through the yellow, leaving me stopped at the red.  

[...................]

Hang in there!! Get some new music CD or download on your ipod.  Make sure you get enough exercise to get you through all that sitting without feeling antsy (and to ensure your butt muscles stay in shape haha) 

 

((Hugs)) it sounds like your oldest will need a license soon. 

[...................]

Hang in there!! Get some new music CD or download on your ipod.  Make sure you get enough exercise to get you through all that sitting without feeling antsy (and to ensure your butt muscles stay in shape haha) 

 

((Hugs)) it sounds like your oldest will need a license soon. 

[Donna]

I hear you with the driving. I put a lot of miles on a car.

 

We listen to Teaching Company lectures and audiobooks while in the car.

[catz]

This is a HUGE driving year for us.  But high school years are busy years so I keep telling myself it is a season and then my kids will move out and I'll miss it.  My kids and I have some our best conversations on the road, so I keep reminding myself of that.  I need to get on the ball with some stuff to listen too - audio books, pod casts, music the kids are learning, etc.

[BlsdMama]

I'm so sorry.  Last year was our bad year.

(DS had classes five mornings a week - about 25 minutes each way. Then, once Mock started, we drove back in 3-4 days a week.  He took Chem once a week.  He had Scouts once a week. It was a nightmare.)

 

The good news?

 

It really WAS worth it.  And this year?  He has his license.  I'm so grateful.  We are driving a lot lately but it's for his Eagle project and usually we're both driving from opposite directions and meeting.  I'll be grateful when it's over.  I'm not sure if that's some small comfort?

ETA:  AND we learned!  DD (14) got her permit IMMEDIATELY so that she'll have her license as soon as she turns 16.   I will never repeat last year, lol.

Edited October 10, 2016 by BlsdMama

[angela in ohio]

I just finished six years (okay, more like 14, but the last six were *really* bad) of almost constant driving. The last four dd took band at the local high school and dual enrollment courses every day of the week. It was brutal. I wouldn't trade it for the world, because I am so close to my teens because of all that van time, but it was a full-time job and then some.

 

Now that I'm down to one, who is not in high school yet, I can't quite adjust to all the time I have. Homemade meals on the table, exercising six days a week, clean house and no laundry mountain, reading every day... it certainly makes missing my girls a bit more bearable. ;)  It wasn't until I was out of the constant driving that I truly realized how exhausting it was. 

 

I get it.

Edited October 10, 2016 by angela in ohio

[Ravin]

DH does all that in our household. I used to. I don't miss it. He doesn't enjoy it. DD does at least have public transit some of the time.

 

I currently just have to drive DS to soccer on Sunday mornings.