My son is at that “special” age – not old enough to drive, but old enough to want to go out in the evening with his friends. And given that we live in suburbia that means its “Mom’s Taxi Service” time. I don’t mind driving a bunch of teenagers to a movie/party once in a while it’s just the logistics that drive me crazy! It usually goes something like this:
I ask who we’re picking up, where, and what time we have to get there. Text, text, text. He gives me several theories about what actual time we need to be there before we finally get a consensus. Then he asks if I can also give his friend a ride. Okay, maybe two. Text, text, text. Is three okay? Text, text, text. No, forget it, just two. Oh, and can I pick them all up afterwards and drive them home again? Great! Text, text, text. Oh, um, is it a problem if I pick up one friend at his mom’s house then drop him off at his dad’s house twenty minutes away afterwards? Text, text, text. Oh no wait, he can’t come after all. Can we just pick up my one friend and then drive him home afterwards? Text, text, text. Yeah I’m sure. Just one. Thanks mom! Pick up time afterwards? Oh, right. Text, text, text…
Any time I grumble about all this, the teen reminds me that his dad and I were lucky enough to grow up in Canadian cities with public transportation, so we didn’t need our parents to drive us anywhere. He’s right. It really was a different world when I was his age. Me and my fourteen year-old friends used to hop on the bus and go downtown for the evening, and try to get back home by curfew. This was also before cell phones. We literally went out the door and disappeared for several hours. All my mom could do was sit around and bite her nails until I got home again.
On the one hand, I am so very, very grateful that my fourteen year-old son has his cell phone and I can call him (track him) at any time. That way I don’t have to waste an evening worrying about him. On the other hand, it is too bad that he will never have the same degree of independence that I had at his age.
Youth Hostel
But will it make a big difference in the way he grows up? Is this transportation dependence stunting his long-term emotional growth? Maybe not. When he’s a college student he’ll probably still go back-packing in Europe with his friends during the summer, just the same way our generation did.
And I won’t have to nervously check the mailbox for postcards every day, because I’ll be able to see all his photos on-line…
