Is anyone else the 'Mom taxi?'

A few years back, dd got her friend to do cheerleading with her.    They don't live far from us, so I ended up being the pick up, drop off person every practice  and game.  It got to the point where mom didn't even ask me anymore to drive her kid, they just figured I'd do it.  And for the most part it was on the way so it was no  big deal.    Mom has 5 other kids, the oldest is 20 or 21, the youngest is about 3 or 4.  This one is 11.

SO after that year in cheerleading I saw the mom at preschool pick up and she was telling me it was too much for her to handle, so she didn't sign up her kid again.  I was completely understanding because after that season, we were moving on to the travel team, and it just gets really hectic to someone who doesn't have the time for this committment or doesn't want to make this a priority.  However, I have noticed that this child gets lost in the shuffle at her house quite a bit, mom and dad are divorced, and mom is always busy with the younger kids, and taking care of her sick elderly mother, while she makes the older kids do nothing to help her out. They are allowed to just run free.  In fact, the 20 year old lives in the attic with his girlfriend.   The parents never go to school functions, plays, band concerts, nothing.

SO this year the mom lets dd sign up for cheerleading again.  The only reason she wants to do it is because my dd is doing it, and thier other best friend is doing it. Mom KNOWS this is a huge committment, and time consuming, but she let her sign up.  We have had practice 2 times now and guess who has to drive this girl home every night?    First night I saw Dad with her dropping her off,  then at the end of practice no one showed up to pick her up so I drove her home.  Then last night I didn't even see who dropped her off but after practice  dd says to me 'Mom can you drive her home? Her mom is busy.'.  WHO doesn't make thier child a  priority to make sure they have a reliable ride THERE and HOME.  They just ASSUME that is going to be me.  Frustrated.  For the most part I don't mind, its just the fact that everyone just assumes that I will do it.  When dd told me she signed up, I told her straight out 'You need to let your friend know that I will not be available to drive her all the time.  Sometimes I might be coming straight from work or I'll need to leave and get your brother from soccer, they can't rely on me and assume I'll be available'.  SO what if I wasn't available last night?? How was she going to get home???

Its only day 2 of the season and I'm already frustrated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diane 

I always was the one to initiate a car pool. I would contact all the moms near us and ask if they wanted to join.  If they didn't, they were on their own.  Most would--even the hectic mom who was a lawyer and worked late hours; she would always find the time to do her fair share of the driving.

 

So I would call this family and ask if they would like to be part of the car pool because you can't handle all the driving.  She has to realize it isn't fair on you.

There in lies another part of the problem, because I'm a coach, I'm at every practice anyway.  And of course I to make sure each kid comes to practice.   But I can never just go straight home because I have to drive her home everynight.   And its a good thing I drive a minivan because my car was already crowded BEFORE I added her to the mix.

No this isn't school, its rec.  There are no rules about driving, just make sure the girls get to practice and have a ride home. 

I don't know what it is with me, but I have such a complex about asking for rides unless we REALLY REALLY need one. Like during softball season, when everyone had to be in a diffrent place at the same time,  SO I might ask my mom, or my MIL to take one,  and one time Meghan's coach offered to take her to a game to make sure she got there for me.  She even offered to drive her back. That was only once though, I don't rely on everyone else to take my kids where they need to be.