As a single mom and small business owner, my life can get pretty hectic. I’ve been lucky so far when it comes to scheduling since my son, Reid, is only 3 years old. Still, it’s necessary for me to coordinate drop-offs and pick-ups between his preschool and play dates that we schedule with other parents. Carpooling has saved me money, helped the environment, and been a good influence on my son.
One of the most noticeable benefits of carpooling has been saving money on gas, which is crucial with fuel prices continuing to climb. I like knowing that my fellow parents and I are helping cut down on pollution and the environmental effects of driving a car. Although Reid is a little too young to fully understand the concept of ‘going green,’ I talk to him about the ways we can help out Mother Earth. He especially enjoys helping gather cans and newspapers for our recycling bins.
Joining forces has also helped Reid make friends with the other children in our carpool. I’m glad he has this chance as he doesn’t have a sibling and I worry about him being lonely. It’s also fun to hear him and his friends chatter about whatever has caught their interest. Usually it’s the newest toy they’ve seen advertised on TV but recently it was about “the car movie” (Cars 2). I like that he has chances to be social and that carpooling has even been a lesson in diversity. One of the families in our carpool drives handicapped vans for one of their older children who uses a wheelchair. Although Reid was disappointed that he couldn’t stand on the lift to get in the van, I’m glad he’s had a chance to see firsthand that people come in different abilities. Carpooling is turning out to be just another step in his informal education.
Keeping my son safe is, of course, especially important to me. He’s too young to go anywhere alone yet, but I figure that he’ll be asking for his own Facebook page and Twitter account before I realize it. I like having just a little extra bonding time before he discovers the world as his own. Shuttling him and his new friends to school or to a park for a birthday party lets me know they’re safe from predators, which is an unfortunate concern we all have to face. It took a little coordinating to figure out the best routes to take but we’ve got things down to a science now. Our carpool families drive through town but I like knowing that the High Occupancy Vehicle lane is an option should we ever take the interstate.
I’m happy that carpooling has had such a positive impact on my family’s life. I can plan meetings and errands for the days when I don’t carpool and know that my son is safe and getting where he needs to go on time, all in the caring hands of other parents. It makes the struggles and strains of being a single mom just a little bit easier.
