Parent taxi service

[Deleted User]

Surely a weekly one-way pickup would provide for half an hour or so of parent/child catch-up chat time? Could be good for bonding.

Castle

Perhaps he can have driving lessons on his half day off.

elizabethhull

I like the idea mentioned of a set number of collections, say one per calendar month, redeemable at his choice. Save up your errands (going to bank, whatever) for that afternoon and do them monthly.

For the other occasions he has a choice of :
doing homework in the library,
taking part in any sporting activities available,
doing a few hours in a charity shop,
visiting a college friend who lives nearby (and whose parents might not mind the occasional running their visitor home),
loafing around in coffee shops with mates and spending own money (if he gets an allowance the option of coffee/fizzy drink might be factored in - still prob cheaper than the petrol),
going to the cinema (his money),
etc

Is there another student within a reasonable distance whose parents would be glad to share the taxiing around with? A notice on the college-noticeboard might elicit someone.

DezMiller

The secret is changing the mindset of your child, from wanting to come home early (to play on his Xbox? Just a guess :rotfl ) to doing something to fill in his time where he is.

If you suggest that you are only willing to pick him up every other week, he will find something to do, whether its to go to a friends or look round the market or play table tennis go swimmming or whatever other sports activities are available in school (or leisure centre?).
He will find something if he has anything about him and then he may change from even wanting a lift home at all, as he's having too much fun when you don't pick him up!

(edit) Sorry if this seems similar to the above post and possibly others too, as I only read the posts on page 1 before posting this.

spursliz

You have such a limited time to be with your children before they grow up and leave- how lucky you are to have one to one time with your son. Please take advantage of this, and enjoy his company. You will regret it later when he has grown up and gone!

belfastgirl23

My question is what will your child be learning from this? I see a lot of young people coming in as interns where I work and frankly many of them can barely wash their own clothes. They have inadequate life skills (in fact I heard a male colleague complaining that they aren't even properly toilet trained based on the state the mens toilets are in). I had a 21 year old graduate in front of me the other day who admitted she had no idea how to take a bus - and no concept that this was either embarrassing or that it was something she might need to remedy. These are the kids who have been lifted and laid by their parents (yes Northern Irish too lol). I use the word kids advisedly, they are not young adults IMHO. I would say by giving your child the responsibility of getting himself around and coping with things like erratic bus schedules you are doing him a huge favour in the long term. He is taking responsibility for himself. It doesn't even sound like he is asking for a lift to his credit - though I can imagine he'd really welcome it.

Also, it is interesting to note how many people here feel that parents should significantly inconvenience themselves rather than cause inconvenience for their child (and this is a convenience issue rather than a wellbeing issue). This is a straight choice - your time vs his. Your time is the time that pays for the car, the clothes on his back, the food in his tummy. You are right to treat it as valuable and to expect your child to do so as well. If you don't do that, your son will be one of the 21 year olds resenting me when I make it clear that I expect them to take real responsibility for the job they were brought in to do. And I feel for these kids, no one has ever explained to them before that their life is their responsibility and it's not up to other people to smooth out every little wrinkle in their paths.

In your shoes, once in a while and at your own convenience, I'd pick him up. It's a nice gesture and if you can spare the time to make it, he'll be grateful. But it's good for him to understand that the world doesn't owe him a living and that his parents are not an unpaid taxi.

mgdavid

robertoegg wrote: »

this. I do a 24 hour round trip every day on my bike to work. .........

how do you fit work in?:rotfl::rotfl:

maiasopohie

Mu 17yr old has a 3hr round bus trip to college. The bus leaves an hour after the end of day. He goes to the Library to do homework before catching it. Fortunately he will have passed (fingers crossed!)his Driving test next week so can drive himself the half hour to College!

tallgirld

Ask them what they think. Maybe they don't even mind waiting for the bus!

Pal71

I had the same issue as you years ago. You will be surprised how good their school work improves when the only thing they can do is study. Plus when they have done their homework at the school library they have more social time at home to do other things.