Carpool is a lifesaver when spouse is still at work and one kid has to be up county and one kid has to be east county at the same time! Have been and still am involved in any carpools (youngest is 14). A lifesaver! I am the poster that always talks about it taking a village. Various Carlos are my village. I drive, they drive, we all take turns. We got the minivan when the kids were in K and 3rd grade (I didn't need it before then - probably wouldn't have wanted others driving my kids that young anyway).

Car pool is the most awesome as the parent driver when the kids are tweens and young teens. They are busy chatting with each other and forget you are there. You get to hear things you wouldn't usually hear, and have a small glimpse into a part of their world you do not usually get to be a part of.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my minivan BUT I HATE my carpool. Never doing it again after this year.

This is a preschool carpool and there are 3 families involved which is really, really dumb. The other 2 are in the same class and constantly hanging up on my kid. I hate telling other people’s kids to not act like little sh*ts but every time we drive I’m reminding Larla abd Larluta that if they have nothing nice to say they should say nothing. It’s a PITA.

In this situation, I would drop out of the carpool now. Just say that it isn't working for you guys. I am sure that the kids are ganging up on your child when riding with their parents too, because otherwise they wouldn't try that in your car, kwim. Just say that at this point it isn't working and you need to bow. If you say their kids are being mean then at least one of the families will take offense, so don't do that!

One more thought if you can't quit midyear is to put on music that the kids like and sing a long to. Put that music on and play it loud and encourage them to sing a long. We used to sing the preschool songs in the car when I carpooled with preschoolers. I can still remember 5 little speckled frogs and black cat black cat looking for a witch.

Anonymous wrote:I love my minivan BUT I HATE my carpool. Never doing it again after this year.

This is a preschool carpool and there are 3 families involved which is really, really dumb. The other 2 are in the same class and constantly hanging up on my kid. I hate telling other people’s kids to not act like little sh*ts but every time we drive I’m reminding Larla abd Larluta that if they have nothing nice to say they should say nothing. It’s a PITA.

In this situation, I would drop out of the carpool now. Just say that it isn't working for you guys. I am sure that the kids are ganging up on your child when riding with their parents too, because otherwise they wouldn't try that in your car, kwim. Just say that at this point it isn't working and you need to bow. If you say their kids are being mean then at least one of the families will take offense, so don't do that!

I had 3 kids in the back of my Honda CR-V yesterday and all were still in boosters. Outer seats were backless boosters and middle kid was in the bubblebum. I only have one kid but knowing I can fit 3 in is certainly helpful. ( they are all 7/8)

Anonymous wrote:2 kids, have never carpooled. Would not buy a car to accommodate carpooling. I don't want anyone else driving my kids and I don't have room for extras. It's enough of a juggle to get our two where they need to be, adding in carpool arrangements does nothing to help me.

+1

2 kids, have never carpooled. Would not buy a car to accommodate carpooling. I don't want anyone else driving my kids and I don't have room for extras. It's enough of a juggle to get our two where they need to be, adding in carpool arrangements does nothing to help me.

I posted earlier at 9:36 but I will add my personal experience with car pooling.

I have 4 older kids (oldest is in college, youngest is in 8th grade.)

We've never been part of any routine carpool. With 4 kids that close together, we did often have to be in 4 different places at the same time, so we'd sometimes ask another family to take our kid with them to practice, but it was more of a "one off" thing and not consistent. Other families have done the same with us--on occasion they are swamped and just need a ride for this one practice, kind of thing.
Most families I know are that way.

I drove in lots of carpools when ods was in elementary and yds was in preschool. Music, sports, day camps, preschool - we carpooled for a lot of things and it was great.

Now our lives have changed and don't carpool with many kids. Usually we just have one extra child.

But now parents have to drive children on field trips so the big minivan or SUV come in handy.

We found carpool especially convenient for day camps in the summers and for building enthusiasm for going to some activity or other.

I love my minivan BUT I HATE my carpool. Never doing it again after this year.

This is a preschool carpool and there are 3 families involved which is really, really dumb. The other 2 are in the same class and constantly hanging up on my kid. I hate telling other people’s kids to not act like little sh*ts but every time we drive I’m reminding Larla abd Larluta that if they have nothing nice to say they should say nothing. It’s a PITA.