Learn to Love Mom Taxi Time

Hours and hours spent in the vehicle every week, driving kids from one activity to another. You are exhausted and run down. Changing the way you think about your Mom taxi time can help you learn to love Mom taxi time again. This simple change in thought takes dreaded Mom taxi time to cherished Mom taxi time.

I find that Spring is the busiest time of the year, and Fall is a close second. The Fall reminds me of a wave of cold water hitting us with after-school activities and new schedules. Spring has new spring activity schedules and winter wrap-ups rolled into hours and hours spent driving kids from place to place.

We try and limit the number of activities we sign up for but the extras seem to happen anyway, especially as the kids get older and they are enrolled in competitions more. The kids love the activities and learn a lot from them, so it justifies the exhausted parents that just want to cuddle up with a blanket and a good book.

That being said, I found myself dreading the driving tasks that needed to be done. I was tired from work and the commute to and from work. Having to make dinner then put on an excited “Let’s go!” so the kids wouldn’t feel bad about wanting to go to their activity, just added to the exhaustion.

Being an introvert, the last thing I wanted to do was be around people at the end of my day. I needed to recharge instead, I sucked it up for the sake of my kids.

It was the same cycle that I pushed through for years. I would dream about Summer break and talk myself through the Fall changes. I’d appreciate the Winter routine, then rely on constant inner pep talks to get through Spring.

It took my oldest moving home again for me to change the way I think about Mom taxi time, and ultimately learn to love Mom taxi time again.

When our oldest moved home, taking transit wasn’t convenient for his work schedule. We had more drivers than cars in the house, but we also had a full schedule. He added his work schedule to our Family Organizer App (love our Cozi App!) and we made it work.

If I didn’t need the car, he would take it. More often than not I would drive him to work. It was during these times that I would learn to love Mom taxi time.

While taking him to work I took the time to get to know him again. We would find topics about his passions, things he found funny, and what he was struggling with. I would then help coach him to think through possible solutions.

I was getting to know my son again; the man he was becoming.

(Light bulb moment)

Feeling this connection strengthening with our oldest, gave me the inspiration to turn the radio down lower when I drove the other kids to their events. I would do the same with them. We talked about random topics, laughed about whatever random comment they would announce.

Kids really have the best sense of humor!

If they were going through something at school or with their friends then I would help coach them to think through possible strategies. I was getting to know each of the kids on much deeper levels, reconnecting with them during chaotic times in our lives.

The Result

Turning the radio down, and striking up conversations with the kids changed how I thought about Mom taxi time. I began to learn to love Mom taxi time because I had their full attention. After all, where can they go? They are in a moving vehicle! There are no other distractions for them like at home.

Did they roll their eyes sometimes? Yep! More than once I was asked if we could just listen to the radio. Those were usually during deep conversations that needed to happen.

Spending the hours in the vehicle was a dreaded task that I didn’t want to do when I was run down and tired already. Changing the way I thought of Mom Taxi Time was the best choice I made.

I turned this time from something dreaded to cherished, just by seeing it as a time to help coach the kids through some challenges they were having and enjoying some reconnection time to discover their individualities again.

How are you doing? Do you dread Mom taxi time? It’s going to be okay. You can get through it!

Leave a comment below and let me know if you love Mom taxi time or if this resonated with you in any way.