It screams “I’m a mom!” and that’s okay with me.
My daughter is turning fifteen next week and we have been searching for her first car. I drive a minivan and I have no desire to teach her to drive it. I’d like something small, used and reliable, that sips gas, for her to learn to drive and then at sixteen, I’d like to hand her the keys.
I was telling my philosophy to some friends the other day, when one of them said that she wondered when I would be getting rid of the minivan. I told her I wouldn’t be getting rid of it and she was really surprised.
I have been driving the little blue school bus for thirteen years now. It has taken us on countless vacations and camping trips. It has spent over fifteen hundred hours in car- rider lines, waiting for my children to finish their school day. It hauled a wedding dress to Florida, for my sister’s beach wedding, along with seven passengers. What a trip!
My hubby would tell you the biggest reason we are keeping it a while longer is that it’s paid for. There is truth in that. The fact that we don’t have large car payments has allowed me to be a stay-at-home wife and mom. This is an arrangement that we have all enjoyed immeasurably. It is something that we feel deeply contributes to the peaceful home existence that we have.
But, possibly the biggest reason for me, is that it’s still full most of the time. I’m always hauling a load of kids somewhere. My son often has a friend with him, but my daughter, like many teen girls, travels in a pack. She usually has at least two with her, if not more. I can’t say much about that, because I was the same way. And I like it that way. My mama did too.
I have worked hard to encourage my daughter to develop a community of good friends, of good solid Christian girls who can grow together and support each other through the trials of high school. I always make them welcome at my house and I’m always happy to drive them around. I even drove a large group to their first day of school last year, so they wouldn’t have to walk into high school alone for the first time. We met at Dunkin’ Doughnuts. I took a load to the homecoming dance too. You just can’t do that in a small sedan.
Interestingly enough, my mama drove a big blue car. It wasn’t a minivan, but back in the day before seat belts, we could easily cram six or seven in it. It’s amazing that we survived. We had a full-sized van too, in case we needed to fit in more. It didn’t have seat belts either. Just ask mama about driving seven girls to their first concert in Atlanta. (Lionel Ritchie and Tina Turner) I don’t think her memories of that night are as fabulous as mine are.
There are many ways to encourage community. The minvan has been a useful tool. It’s not the coolest car around, for sure. And I know people my age who wouldn’t be caught dead driving one. But hey, do we ever reach an age where cool no longer matters? Perhaps, maybe I am there or perhaps I’m just willing to put community first for my kids’ sake.
I learned that from mama. I think she did good!
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂