Why I Won't Chauffeur My Daughter to School

When did everyone start driving their kids to school every day? I'm not sure if this is a Southern phenomenon or not. Not to belabor the old adage of "I walked 10 miles in the snow" etc., but if I didn't get the bus I had to walk and so did most of my friends. There were only a few kids whose parents drove them on a daily basis and they usually carpooled with each other to save time and gas.

Yet now it's quite insane. During the summer the main commuter road through our town is busy but it keeps moving. As soon as school starts, the traffic is at a standstill until after 8:30 am. The lines of cars turning off at the schools are backed up all the way into main traffic. I know that some people have to drive their children to school for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they don't live near a bus route, or they leave for work earlier than the bus and their children are too young to wait alone. Yet whatever happened to carpooling? Why do so many people want to put themselves through this circle of hell when it's not necessary?

I bet that I know one reason. My daughter groans every year about riding the bus. Of course, when she was in kindergarten and there was no bus available she couldn't wait to be a "big girl" bus rider. Now every year it's the same routine. She hates the bus, she hates getting up so early, she has too much stuff to carry, etc. Why can't I drive her? Why can't I drive her through rush hour traffic for ½ hour to 45 minutes, stopping more than going, and then come home for maybe 20 minutes until I have to go back into traffic to teach my class at the gym? Why am I so selfish, the worst parent ever, when "everyone else's parents drive them to school?"

I tell her why. It's completely inconvenient, and a waste of time, effort and gas. Especially when there is this big yellow vehicle that comes around every day and picks her up and drops her off practically at our door! Have I mentioned that it takes over $30 to fill up my small Dodge Caliber's gas tank? Besides, she should get used to public transportation because we can't afford to buy her a car when she turns 16 or goes to college either.

Unfortunately children can be somewhat selfish and are unable to see that the world doesn't revolve around them. Because most of their lives their parents have tried their hardest to shield their children from pain, discomfort or suffering it's confusing to them when we won't pander to their every whim. They'll say you're mean, that they hate you, that you hate them, and that other parents are much nicer.

Well too bad. I don't buy it, and I refuse to feel guilty for not driving my child to school when there's a more efficient and convenient method at hand. It's about delegating, and I'm all for letting the bus driver take one for the team. My child will keep trying to emotionally manipulate me because that's what kids do. I don't have to fall for it though. As I see it, my job is to stand firm, protect her, teach her, discipline her, and of course love her. I don't have to drive her to school.