We have three children, two adults, three cars, one driver in training, and two licensed drivers…and regularly drive a school carpool 5-6 times a week, and to swim practice 6 times a week, volleyball practice 3 times a week, Cub Scouts 2-3 times a month, and basketball 2 times a week. Throw in one adult who works outside the home and one work-at-home parent. And a handful of evening appointments for the adults. So how do we get everyone where they need to go? Sounds like a math problem, doesn’t it? And I am already having palpitations and sweating over the math problem. The answer is that we get everyone where they need to go by the skin of our teeth. Every evening at dinner my husband and I sit and sort through and assign and stress over our evening drive schedule.
Most driving assignments are a moveable feast of who will drive and who will stay at home. The one who is available drives or whoever is home in time. Or in the case of basketball as my husband is the coach he does the run to and from basketball, while I enjoy the quiet time at home. Although it is not really all that quiet as I have to wash dishes, sort through homework, and do laundry.
Occasionally one of us will claim a run. For the last two volleyball travel seasons, I have laid claim to the drives to and from practice. Some of the time my daughter drives to and from, which gives me a break. On rushed nights I drive. But it is all good since I can have a conversation with my not usually talkative teen. I savor any time I can have a conversation with one of my older kids. Who knew that I would almost have to schedule a chat?
And as a bonus on my volleyball drive nights I get to hang out at Starbucks. If you follow me on FB or Twitter, you will know that I “covet” one particular table at Starbucks. It seats 4 and is usually occupied by one person or possibly two. It is always occupied when I arrive. I sit nearby and glance over at the table…hoping the occupant(s) will leave. I hate to be a vulture but the table is all sorts of awesome due in large part to its proximity to an electrical outlet. Just when did my life’s goal become “finding a table near an outlet”? Hmmm.
