The taxi driver phase is a rite of passage for women. My sons are adults now, but we still have our best chats when sharing time in a car, a holdover from the taxi days. I've made it clear that some day I'll be too blind & old to drive, and they are going to have to cart me around to all my activities, heh heh!

I have a SWIM TAXI bracket on my license plate! I never understood those until I had a swimmer. Carpooling helps, plus it's a fantastic way to keep up on what's going on with the kids and their friends. Even on those days when I feel like I'll never get anything else done, I try to enjoy it because it won't be too long before they don't need me to cart them around anymore.

I feel your pain. I'm in my car literally all day even though I live in a small 4th tier metropolitan area where there is no gridlock. Sometimes I just want to pull my hair out and feel like I never get to stop, but I know that someday my kids will look back at their childhoods and see me there in their classrooms, there on the sidelines at practice, there screaming my head off at games & meets, there clapping and taping in the audience, there sewing costumes, there baking cookies, there at the bake sale, there at the science fair and never once wonder where I was.

My kids are grown now, but I always felt extremely lucky to be able to stay home with them, even with all the driving, and not have to go to work all day.

Just think if you were working all day, and your kids were in latch key and you didn't get home till after 6PM. I remember those days - DH and I frantically calling each other at 4PM to see if the other could pickup that day because something had come up at work. I remember sneaking out of work early when my son had early soccer practice etc.

Fortunately, I had a pretty flexible schedule and boss, but now that I'm not working, I do not know how I ever did it for 10+ years. Seriously, I am on the run alot too, just don't know when I ever did laundry, grocery shopped or cleaned up!

Enjoy these hectic times because they literally fly by. I have one son in college, another graduating from HS - they have been driving themselves around for quite awhile. I only have 1 DS left to taxi around, so while I still get a bit sick of driving here and there, I know it's only for a period of time and then poof they'll all be gone!

After DS was born I only worked 4 days/wk, so had Fridays with him (and to run errands). He was in daycare onsite with DH so DH had all the "carpool" duties but DS's schedule was his schedule. After DD it went all to heck b/c she was always sick, crying, not eating at daycare so I took *lots* of time off, finally pulled her out, DH, my mom and I took turns watching her til I finally quit my job. Then started driving around just to get her to nap. And it hasn't stopped 5 yrs later!

Sometimes I feel like the kids and I try to live our lives *between* car rides. DH just goes to work 4 days/wk (telecommutes 1 day), and other than Scouts on Tuesday nights, just stays home once he gets home. When I was working (and earning more than he was) and we only had 1 kid, we split the housework. Since I quit to be a SAHM, housework is my job. Except for occasions like when he decided to vacuum the FR while DD and I were at dance class on Saturday, and he ran the vacuum cleaner under the edge of the sofa bed or something and scratched it all up! He's ruined every vacuum I've ever owned, but since we don't have electric baseboard in this house (and he doesn't ever clean), I didn't think he'd scuff this one up. At least it's not all cut up like the old one was (he ruined that one for good when he used the carpet cleaning head to suck up water in the basement. The motor was OK - meant to be a wet vac - but the concrete ruined the plastic nozzle).

Yeah I was a taxi driver for years and years- my two kids were 5 1/2 years apart so it lasted quite awhile. By the time my youngest was 16 and had a license I was ready to shut off the taxi meter for good. I enjoyed it ( work schedule allowed it) but it is oh so good now that youngest is a senior and college! I do miss the girl scout, football, soccer, art class, piano lesson and field hockey days sometimes!

yep--same way here. I have 3 kids: 2, 5 & 9. Last year it wasn't so bad because only my 9 yo was doing things, but now my 5yo is into everything too. She does piano (1x/week), ballet (3x/week), swimming (2x/week), rhythmic gymnastic (1x/week). Now she wants art class, especially pottery LOL :-) DS1 only does flag football, golf, swimming & piano so it isn't so bad.

I don't mind the driving so much. It's actually my quiet time LOL. The rule in my car is that nobody bothers mom when she's driving and everybody has to listen to classical music (or else they would be dropped off at the street corner and pick another bus home) LOL :-D

I have 2 teenagers living with me and IME, driving kids around is a lot less stressful than worrying a/b them driving themselves around (when they get older).

It's crazy. When we were kids my Mom didn't even have a car. We walked to school or took the bus, had one or two activities that we did at school and then walked or took the late bus home. Now my oldest is driving and it seriously frees up at least three hours out of my day. She goes to college in 18 months so I'll have to drive my youngest again for a few more years.

Bella...that schedule is exhausting me just by reading it. I thought I had it bad!!
Yes ajsmama, I feel like a taxi driver, and I'll throw in juggler as well. Between my full time job, DH full time job, my girls in 2 different schools, half-day kindergarten, ballet, and gymnastics, I never know if I'm coming or going aymore. I feel the most sorry for my 6 month old son who is always being woken up from his nap so I can drive and pick someone up. We also have no school buses in our town so I always have to drive them.

Felt that way yesterday. Between 9AM and 12:25 I dropped DS1 off at school (walker) and as soon as DD & I got back home it was in the van for her Dr.'s appt. on one end of the county. Half hour wait back in van to go drive halfway across the county to pick up DS2 from preschool. Got back home and we all walked down to pick DS1 up from Kindergarten.

Luckily right now DS1 isn't playong soccer (starts in Spring again) and we're between our parent/ family meetings in a group at DS1's school 1x/wk which should start again in Spring just in time for soccer but this season w/ 2 players. It's on the opposite side of the county. Practice 1x/wk and games on Sunday.

DS1 would also like to begin taking tap classes.

I work 2 days 14hrs each and 1 day 6-7hrs.

It's a small price to pay and I know I have the car trips easy right now so I'll take it to be able to be hme 2 full days/wk w/ them not including the wknds.

My kids (6 daughters) school years lasted from 1979-2010. At one point in my life they were in 5 different schools at the same time plus a baby. Pre-school, elementary, middle, high school and college. My little ones grew up in a car. We were at the same elementary school for 23 years and went through 6 principles. My oldest is 35 with 3 of her own, my youngest is 18 a senior in high school. I'm almost done!!! Never mind I'll never be done. For some reason my girls like me (again, not so much as 13 yr. olds). They chose to live close by, (downstairs and across the street). Now I have 6 grandchildren. The taxi is slowing down, but I doubt I'll ever stop carting someone around.

Judiegal - that's really cool. You're very lucky and I hope to be as blessed as you.

DH and I are hoping to acquire his grandmothers house which is beside his parents house. I find it comforting to live that close to my in-laws and also my parents if I can talk them into moving back!

OK I'll stop whining now. Bella, I'm tired just listening to your schedule!

My parents called - Dad is leaving for FL on Friday, wanted to know "if the kids were busy tomorrow night" - wants to go out to dinner. I *think* DH and I are invited too LOL (JK, we're meeting my parents at restaurant). I just printed Restaurant.com certificate to their (my parents') favorite Italian place (DS likes it too, DD will find *something* there) so we'll be taking them out.

Friday is pretty quite too, then the madness starts again Sat with swim lessons and a bday party (and maybe I can squeeze in some exercise whn kids are in pool). I wanted to take kids to science museum Sat but swim lessons got changed and party invite came so we'll try Sunday. Had planned another museum (farther away) for MLK Day, but kids have dentist appts in AM, then dance lesson and Girl Scouts so that won't happen.