The taxi years

[Lowlight282]

DS is 12, in year 7 at school. Since lockdown has eased I've spent every weekend dropping him off at various locations then waiting by the phone for him to call for help/a lift home/advice/permission to do something/money. His new found freedom seems to have tied me to the house. I don't feel confident enough to leave him to it and go off and do my own thing although I am a homebody so quite happy to potter about. It's lovely to see him out and about with his mates though and they're a good bunch.

So is this it until he can drive?!

Probably

not unless you want it to be

there’s no need for you to be at home waiting by the phone for most of the things you listed. You could be anywhere and give him advice.

I don’t drive, my son has had to learn to get around under his own steam.
If you set clear ground rules and give him enough money to start with he should be ok.

Surely there is a middle ground ... we did a lot of driving around for our DS when he was that age (we live rurally and public transport is practically non existent) but we made it clear when we were 'available' - not just being 'on call'

We live rurally too. I'm sure it'll get easier as he gets more confident and I have more confidence in him its just a tricky, in between age where they're out with their friends for the first time. All my family and friends live 30-60 minute drive away so I don't want to arrange anything and be that far away just yet. I'm sure we'll find a middle ground eventually.

Yep.

Though DS is currently learning to drive and I've recently realised that I will miss our car chats when he's off on his own. I will have nobody to sneak to KFC with

Like you we live rurally and have always felt that we need to facilitate him getting about, as he didn't ask to live where we do.