Anonymous wrote:This thread cracks me up. My kids are 13, 15, and 17. If more than one of them is along for the ride, they all sit in the back seat! If it is just me and one passenger, they keep me company up front. I think they like to pretend they are in an Uber and don't really know me.

Anonymous wrote:We rotated by month. Surprisingly, it kept the peace.

Monthly sucks and is too long. Weekly is much better. Switching off each time you ride makes it harder for you to remember who rode shotgun.

If the 16 year old can get his own beat up ride, then helps because they will both be shotgun and you can force them to do all your household errands for you and DH.

The rules are clear.

Whoever calls shotgun first gets it.

Caveats:

All passengers AND driver must be outside before calling shotgun. Calling early forfeits your opportunity.

Touching the car before anyone has called it also forfeits your opportunity.

On Tuesdays, calling shotgun forfeits your rights. Tuesdays you must yell Red Rover.

It's that simple.

Always the elder in our car. Younger never even asked and actually sits in back when shotgun is empty!

This thread cracks me up. My kids are 13, 15, and 17. If more than one of them is along for the ride, they all sit in the back seat! If it is just me and one passenger, they keep me company up front. I think they like to pretend they are in an Uber and don't really know me.

16y old tides in the front because in 2y he will move out for college and the then 15y old will ride in the front. When they are both adults and come back home for visits and holidays, they will have their own car so the discussion will be moot. If by chance, on rare occasions, they both have to ride with you, whoever call dibs first. If they start arguing, remind them they are adults.

Too funny. I missed this thread the first time around as none of my kids were old enough. This is the most ridiculous thing they fight over. They have created all sorts of rules regarding how long the ride is for it to count. What to do when there are only two versus three kids in the car, does it count for rotation when only 1 DC is in the car, etc. I largely stay out of it unless they start to get out of hand and then everyone goes in the back.

Oldest child rides shot gun as he is closest to getting driver's permit and needs experience sitting in front seat.

When oldest child has drivers permit, he drives and parent rides shot gun.

When both children are driving age they can take turns.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whoever yells 'shotgun' first gets it. Some shoving and sprinting to the car ensues. Parents stay uninvolved other than occasional threats that everyone will have to sit in the back. Isn't this how it's done in all families?

+1

+100

Anonymous wrote:Whoever yells 'shotgun' first gets it. Some shoving and sprinting to the car ensues. Parents stay uninvolved other than occasional threats that everyone will have to sit in the back. Isn't this how it's done in all families?

+1000000000 Four kids. Worked like a charm. Seriously, the kids need to sort this out for themselves. You should not get involved in it. These are the kinds of life skills that are foundational. How to negotiate, how to cope with disappointment. So long as it is not a safety issue this is not a place for parent intervention.

Whoever yells it first.

Didn’t read the whole thread, but I didn’t see “tallest/biggest” gets the other front seat. Yes, that’s usually the oldest, but the safety and “fit” is pretty reasonable. And yes, there are some trips where mom (me) rides in the back with my oldest in the front with dad driving (or my oldest driving.)