How do non driving teens get to sports practice and tryouts?

[Anonymous]

Carpools, Uber, older siblings, parents, pay a neighbor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don’t let our HSers use Uber. We managed it by remote working, taking vacation and carpooling. Best thing ever was the driver’s license.

You took vacation rather than have your kid Uber? Do you have a massive amount of vacation?

[Anonymous]

Most kids can bike, but parents seem to be way more cautious about bike routes these days.

If you do not want him to do that, then you are stuck paying a driver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most kids can bike, but parents seem to be way more cautious about bike routes these days.

If you do not want him to do that, then you are stuck paying a driver.

As an adult cyclist, parents are smart to be cautious. Most roads were not designed for sharing the road, and even if they were many drivers don't care.

[Anonymous]

We drive them or they walk.

We live within walking distance of school but it's not an easy walk unless the weather is great. Fewer "away" practices now but lots of other commitments (an internship 30 minutes away is one this summer that is incredibly labor intensive).

My DH has a fairly flexible job and can do some driving here and there. My job is very flexible, especially in the summer, and I have worked very intentionally to have a career where I can mostly be home (still working) after school and flexible in summers (I'm in academic administration at a university).

Not super comfortable with Uber, but also, it's very expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live off a very busy street. He can’t bike on it to school or camp. He would have to cross a highway overpass to get to the high school. It isn’t possible.

My kid rides on busy streets when necessary. They take back routes or the long way when they can to avoid traffic.

The high school is far. It is not a bikable path.

Is there a nearby library or other public space? In high school I used to go read at the public library while I waited for parents to pick me up. I know other kids who go to a community pool or rec center.

[Anonymous]

Ask around (neighbors, colleagues or whatever) to find an older teen or college kid who drives. Easy money.

[Anonymous]

Their parents make it happen. Welcome to HS!

[Anonymous]

We were lucky that my M-in-law moved close to us and was a huge help in this regard. She took our DD and DS to quite a few practices and summer things.

When she wasn't available, we had a list of older responsible kids (older siblings of friends) that we could rely on. Or worse case a neighbor if it was a once in a while thing. Or worse worse case, we would bug out of work.

[Anonymous]

I work from home so drove, occasional carpool with other parents trading off and older teen drivers for dd on cross country team, only way most kids could make it work given random times and locations. When she started driving it was her turn.

[Anonymous]

This summer is a big change for us because both our kids now have their license.

Last summer, DS was called on to take his sister around to practices and other events, but there were conflicts at times with his work schedule.

Now that DD has her license, no more! Son can go to work and DD can get to her activities. Yeah!

[Anonymous]

One parent doesn't work, WFH, or has a super flexible job. That's how most people do it until the kids can drive themselves. This is what parents of younger kids don't understand. It's actually much easier to just drop them at daycare and pick them up at the end of the workday.

[Anonymous]

The same way they do when they're in elementary school. Parents drive them.

[Anonymous]

Find a carpool, even if it’s not super convenient. I would rather pick up or drop off a kid who lives 15 minutes in the opposite direction than do a round trip twice.

But mostly I just adjust my schedule and drive, or flat-out say no if something won’t work and it’s not critical. My job is more critical than a camp that requires noon pickup that I can’t swing.

If the delta is less than an hour, there have also been times my kid just has to wait. Not ideal but what teenager doesn’t love scrolling the phone for an hour…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most kids can bike, but parents seem to be way more cautious about bike routes these days.

If you do not want him to do that, then you are stuck paying a driver.

As an adult cyclist, parents are smart to be cautious. Most roads were not designed for sharing the road, and even if they were many drivers don't care.

We stopped the biking when our kid collided with a car at a dangerous intersection. No one was hurt, but everyone had a salutary scare.