Being an unpaid taxi driver

[whatdidthefoxsay]

This is meant to be lighthearted but we moved to the country when kids were little, now they are teens I feel I'm constantly driving one or the other into town at different times and picking up again at different times. Aibu, it was my idea to move here but this constant ferrying in and out is getting a bit wearing

Do your kids have other friends in nearby villages? Could they arrange a "my parents will drop off, your parents pick us up" sort of agreement?

Or they could just go to fewer activities and events and social engagements.

Both of those factored in my childhood/teenagehood.

I'm hoping by the time DCs are teenagers driverless cars with be common

DD has a bus ticket but her friend's parents dont give their dd a ticket, so they take hr places and if my dd is involved they expect us to lift share, which irks us a lot as we Buy our DD a ticket to give her freedom.

My parents did this. We were 4 miles from the nearest bus stop, which was in the nearest (small, shit) town. We were also 20 miles from high school. Would leave home at 6.55am, home 5.30pm on a school day. Missed Home and Away!

We were extremely socially isolated, though my best mate lived in the village too, so had plenty of fun.

I recently found out that dad refused to drive us anywhere. Mum did some taxiing. Dad was ways selfish though.

I posted something very similar to this in chat earlier this week. (it got not a single response, which I took as a sign that everyone thinks "suck it up").

I agree it's a nice time to be with your child, but v wearing when it's very late (as it's been for me over the last couple of weeks)

It's the price you pay so as not to have miserable teenagers and I do love their company in the car.
Perfect when DC are small but I would have liked to move at least to a large village with public transport when mine got to teens.
Thankfully DH does all the 1am party runs and DS1 can now drive.

Parent of teenagers-it's just what you do. Another stage of parenting. i would rather be driving teens about than dealing with a none sleeping baby or a velcro whingey toddler.

Bit of time alone in the car with the music on, and a coffee in a town I hardly ever go to. i am getting used to it.

When you should be working full time since you have teens now, they dont need you any more?
but they do need the 1 am or thereabouts lifts,

Why should I be working full time ?

That should ahve been in Inverted commas, people think this

We moved out to the middle of nowhere when I was 10. Brilliant at first but then I became a teenager and it dragged a bit. Mum wouldn't give lifts until we were as close to home as it was possible to get by public transport. I'd spend hours train and bus hopping to get 'close enough' but could've been home in half an hour if I'd had a lift! I was told to suck it up and that she walked everywhere when she was younger (conveniently forgetting that she grew up in a town). We now live on the outskirts of a country town which is great for us - we can actually walk to the local co-op in 5 minutes flat!!!

PlummyBrummy Yes, I do every lift they ask for as I don't want them to resent being brought up in the back of beyond.

I already do a bit of ferrying around & I enjoy it. Mainly because I am in control. I know I have not been drinking when I drive my car, I know I have not been taking drugs, I know I am a sensible driver, I don't let kids distract me.

Much rather me than a friend who doesn't know how to handle the ridiculously flash car their parents drive, or who has had a drink/taken drugs & think they are invincible.

I have had several talks with dd about this, but still...if in doubt, I drive. It's a job my dds know I am happy to do, regardless of times etc.

I also pick my dh up from concerts, etc so he doesn't have to pay ridiculous $$ on taxis etc.

I solved the whole taxi thing by buying myself a Smart car, best excuse I ever had not to be running 3 teens about but then got pregnant with DS had to sell, Karma

i must admit i do enjoy it, and they are appreciative, mainly because I dont have a car so have to borrow one.
i came on here to ask about a loan for buying a car and was shouted down for considering buying one, purely to ferry my teens aobut!

I know you've admitted you are but yes YABU.

We moved to the country with three small dc and it was always assumed a pay off would be driving them around until they could drive themselves. I don't like doing the late night parties so Dh does those lifts, but they often stay over for parties so that happens rarely.

Ds1 can drive now so it makes life a bit easier.

YABVU! You move to a village - you drive yourself and kids everywhere. Goes without saying really.

This is why I and everyone I knew got driving lessons for our 17th birthdays :)

It's not the learning to drive though - it's the cost of insuring a car once you pass that prevents youngsters I know from driving.
Plus, of course, that oly helps when you get to 17/18. There's a LOT of years they are teenagers before then.

Well it sounds like your are giving lifts to your DCs and I can appreciate it must be a pain sometimes so I'll give you your your chance to vent.

That said, as someone forced to go through my teenage years in a village with one crappy bus running a day and parents who resented and outright refused to give any lifts, I will never, ever move my children to the country like that. I look back on my teenage years as years of absolute boredom and loneliness since most of my friends were 10 miles away in the next town.

That's why we have moved back to a place that has good transport links now my kids are teenagers.
It was fantastic when they were younger being in the country with a lovely little village school, but transport was awful.