14 Oct The Mom Taxi

While driving my car the other day, it struck me how very frequently I am driving from one place to another.  You see, a very big role that I play in my life is that of  TAXI DRIVER.  I spend hours each day in my “mom taxi” shuttling my daughters to and from their respective activities and friend’s houses.

Am I alone in my taxi driving travels?……..   

NO!  I am one of many mothers who wear an imaginary chauffeur’s hat each and every day.

So, this blog is dedicated to all mothers, not just the single ones.

My weekday always begins with a drive to my daughter’s school.  Luckily for me, my older daughter gets picked up by a friend’s parent each morning so I only have one school drop off to do.  Once I have completed my first taxi drop-off, it’s off to work, an errand, or many times back home to pick something up.

My mom taxi revs back into action at about 2:30 pm when I pick up my first passenger from school.  Together we head down to the train station where we wait for our next two customers to hop into the cab.  Thankfully the car is equipped with air-conditioning, heat, satellite radio and a great playlist of music for when the radio just can’t cut it.

After all the passengers are dropped off at their respective homes, the driving continues.  Four days a week the taxi drives to gymnastics, twice a week to the physiotherapist, weekly to piano and band  and, of course, my daughters’ friends’ homes are often destinations on our route – It’s a constant AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE.

My car has become a second home and office for me, and the inventory list of what can be found in it is astounding!  There are the regular basics such as Kleenex, an umbrella, gum, and extra garbage bags.  There are snacks and water bottles for when my kids, their friends and I are in need of a little hydration and nourishment.  There are also specialty items such as pens, highlighters, Sharpies (because everyone knows that a sharpie is always needed at some point in the day), hair elastics, extra shoes (both mine and my daughters’) and nice smelling hand sanitizers.  And then, there are the extra ridiculous items that at times appear in my car such as silly putty, dog toys, rainbow loom elastics and mismatched socks.

Oh how I dream of an uncluttered car that is crumb free and organized………but that is not the reality!

At the end of the day, I try very hard to find the positive in all situations.  It may sound like I am being too much of a “Susi Sunshine” for some of you, but it is how I get myself through life.  So, once I am done ranting and raving about how much time I have wasted in the car, I count the blessings that come from driving a MOM TAXI.   

The car is, in my opinion, one of the greatest places to connect with your children.  It is a space that you and your child must share without being able to physically escape from difficult moments or conversations.  It is a perfect spot to find out how your child is doing and what has gone on in their day before they head home and cocoon into their rooms. It is a sacred space that can be a great venue for special conversations about intimate or private things.  It is the perfect hideaway where tears can be wiped, and fears can be overcome  before heading out into the world.  It is an amazing echo chamber for the sound of laughter, howling and giggling.  It is a great sound studio for moments that call for singing at the top of our lungs. Simply put, my mom taxi has become a vehicle which serves for more than just transporting precious cargo from point A to point B.  It is a safe place where magic happens on a daily basis.

So, the next time you hop into your car and begin to feel frustrated or angry about having to shuttle your kids back and forth from one place to another, TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND ENJOY THE RIDE.  Pretty soon you will be looking forward to those little magic moments that take place in your very own cars.

Drive Safely,

Xox,

Susan