Wednesday, October 5, 2011

The It-Takes-A-Village Carpool

I love carpools. It makes no sense for several busy homeschooling moms to all be driving to the same location if it isn't necessary. My kids are actually able to participate in more activities because of carpool arrangements. Carpools save gas, they save time, and they save sanity.

But it is a sure sign that we moms can overschedule when even the carpools can get a bit crazy. Below is a true happening. Real names are not used in order to protect the insanely self-inflicted over-scheduled innocent.

Mom A,Child A
Mom B, Child B1, Child B2
Mom C, Child C1, Child C2
Mom D, Child D

Mom A is scheduled for a football carpool required to get Child A and Child B1 to practice. However, Mom A would really like to go to a special dinner event, and asks Mom B if she wouldn't mind switching carpool days with her.

Mom B is quite willing to switch, however, Child B2 has a special evening activity and if Mom B drives to football, Child B2 won't have a ride.  So, Mom B asked Mom C, whose Child C2 is attending the same event, if she doesn't mind picking up Child B2 for her event, so she can take Child B1 and Child A to football practice, so Mom A can go to her dinner.

Mom C certainly doesn't mind picking up Child B2.  However, in order to do so and not make both Child B2 and Child C2 late for the event, she needs to make sure that Mom D can drive Child C1, who needs to attend a play rehearsal with Child D.  If Mom D can, Mom C can then pick up Child B2 and take her to her event with Child C2, so Mom B can take Child B1 and Child A to football practice, so Mom A can attend her dinner.

Luckily, Mom D can drive, so Mom A can go to her dinner.  That means that all will go smoothly among the four moms and six children all needing to be at four different events at the same time. Whew. All is well and another evening of carpooling has been accomplished.

Hillary Clinton has it wrong.  I don't need a village to raise them; I just need a village to get them to their activities!

1 comment:

Diane Allen said...

Remembering that old Beatle's tune: "I Get By With a Little Help With My Friends".

I applaud all four of you! Only moms would think of such a complicated algorithm to get their children around.