Sorry, OP. I'm not sure why some people have to be such dicks on here.

The best bet for you is going to be finding a sitter or someone to pick up the younger so you can deal with the MS sport transportation. I know it is a lot but, unfortunately, this is just the reality of the situation with sports. You cannot have the coaches/teachers waiting around for you on their time. If you can't carpool- and that is not always possible despite what some are saying on here- then something has to give and you have to get some help. It's probably easier with the youngers (someone to pick up and take home).

Sports can get overwhelming FAST. We are in a HS sport now and my week has practices every evening, team dinners, 2 games, and a fundraising activity. As well as meeting BEFORE school one day. Ugh. And my kid doesn't drive. So I get it.

Our DC's team had a child with two parents with very inflexible schedules. The team took turns driving the child. It was totally fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you say no transportation, do you mean to games? Our MS coach arranged carpools. A few parents went to every game. I never had to drive. And only about 1/2 the parents attended games as many were working in the afternoons so there’s no pressure to do it all.

I feel so bad asking someone to drive when I know I can’t repay the favor!

I am a single parent who happens to have a work schedule, and an age spread of my kids that lets me go to my kids' games. I would happily drive a friend who needed a ride. I wouldn't need to be repaid.

+1

I generally don’t mind driving other kids. I have a flexible schedule.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well it seems you simply can't manage the logistics. Not all parents can, nothing to be ashamed of.

But how do working parents do it? That’s not a rhetorical question.

I barely make it to pick up my youngest kids at 4:25 when they get out. These away games start at 4! And now they are saying practice ends at 4:30 and pickup needs to be prompt? At 4:30 I’m barely out of the elementary school parking lot loop!

Can your kid be a "walker" and then walk to a predetermined location and you pick up there?

Or take public transportation?

Both would work for our MS, but I realize that some people might have schools in areas without sidewalks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you say no transportation, do you mean to games? Our MS coach arranged carpools. A few parents went to every game. I never had to drive. And only about 1/2 the parents attended games as many were working in the afternoons so there’s no pressure to do it all.

I feel so bad asking someone to drive when I know I can’t repay the favor!

I am a single parent who happens to have a work schedule, and an age spread of my kids that lets me go to my kids' games. I would happily drive a friend who needed a ride. I wouldn't need to be repaid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are you asking? What’s the problem?

Tips for smooth evenings, transitioning into this new schedule (they don’t have transportation), making it all work with other kids and while solo parenting.

I’m just feeling very overwhelmed.

How can you have kids join in on sports if you have no transportation?

The school offers no transportation.

You think the school is going to pick them up and drop them off at home?

MCPS and my kid's private school both offer late buses after sports. It's not surprising that OP would wonder if her kid's school does.

OP has your kid made the team yet?

Anonymous wrote:When you say no transportation, do you mean to games? Our MS coach arranged carpools. A few parents went to every game. I never had to drive. And only about 1/2 the parents attended games as many were working in the afternoons so there’s no pressure to do it all.

Wow. These parents were ok with that?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What county offers MS sports? I didn’t think this was offered in public schools in the DMV

Prince William County does.

Are you OP?

If your kid hasn't tried out for sports yet, you should know that in most PW middle schools, it's extremely competitive. A lot of really good players don't make the team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well it seems you simply can't manage the logistics. Not all parents can, nothing to be ashamed of.

But how do working parents do it? That’s not a rhetorical question.

I barely make it to pick up my youngest kids at 4:25 when they get out. These away games start at 4! And now they are saying practice ends at 4:30 and pickup needs to be prompt? At 4:30 I’m barely out of the elementary school parking lot loop!

Aftercare for the elementary kids until 5? Will probably save time in the pickup line - bonus! Pick up son first, then head to elementary school. Bus would be provided for away games surely?! It is, at our school. Or- can your elem kids ride bus home? Even if you arrive home with DS a few minutes after the bus, they should be fine unless they are very early elementary age.

OK, so take a deep breath. A few things to think about. (1) does your MS offer any after school “care”? Ours offers supervised study hall in the library until some point. Sports kids can go after practice as it does not close until 5. Does cost $. (2) can he walk somewhere nearby after practice and wait for you? Is dismissal monitored? Is there ANYthing he could walk to or ride bike to- with a few dollars to buy a snack etc? It sounds like it would not be for long at all. (3) are schools REALLY monitoring pickup at this age?! Ours definitely does not. All the after school sports kids emerge at 4:30 and pickup takes quite some time. A middle schooler should be perfectly fine to sit and wait an extra 15min. This would not be noticed at our suburban school (and a “my mom is on her way” answer would be acceptable). (4) can you pick up at elementary later and get MSer first? Or does aftercare at elementary close early?

FWIW if I am late for sports pickup and can’t arrange carpool- my suburban middle schooler is to walk to the nearby supermarket and grab a drink/snack at the deli area and wait there. He has $ in his backpack marked for this purpose, and obviously would be communication with me. He is 12 and more than old enough to do this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well it seems you simply can't manage the logistics. Not all parents can, nothing to be ashamed of.

But how do working parents do it? That’s not a rhetorical question.

I barely make it to pick up my youngest kids at 4:25 when they get out. These away games start at 4! And now they are saying practice ends at 4:30 and pickup needs to be prompt? At 4:30 I’m barely out of the elementary school parking lot loop!

My kids did not do any middle school sports or clubs. It was too difficult to manage with transportation. We had a late bus option but it also didn’t line up and wouldn’t work. They continued with other sports options that met later in the evening, where we could actually make it work.

Sounds like your child can't do MS sports OP. Its not an entitlement. Where I live (Loudoun) the schools have more reasonable start times and the ES kids go first, then middle, then high school. Also there are no "middle school sports" - its all rec and club at this point (with practices starting around 5:30/6pm) and school sports start in HS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What county offers MS sports? I didn’t think this was offered in public schools in the DMV

Prince William County does.

Arlington does too.

However practice and games are after school and most kids can walk or bike home. They definitely get bused to away games.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well it seems you simply can't manage the logistics. Not all parents can, nothing to be ashamed of.

But how do working parents do it? That’s not a rhetorical question.

I barely make it to pick up my youngest kids at 4:25 when they get out. These away games start at 4! And now they are saying practice ends at 4:30 and pickup needs to be prompt? At 4:30 I’m barely out of the elementary school parking lot loop!

My kids did not do any middle school sports or clubs. It was too difficult to manage with transportation. We had a late bus option but it also didn’t line up and wouldn’t work. They continued with other sports options that met later in the evening, where we could actually make it work.

Omg just go on the group chat in the TeamSnap or sports engine or whatever app your team uses and ask for someone to drive your kid to and from whatever game. Someone will do it. Also, doesn’t he have a friend whose parents could take him?

I can’t believe a MS is picky about pickup…don’t some kids walk home? Our MS doesn’t offer supervision after practice…kids are on their own to get home however they do. If they really need your kid gone by 4:30, is there anywhere he can walk to to wait for you?

Can they ride a bike home from practice?