Parents I drive a lot!

[justanothergymmom]

I just realized this last week when I filled up my tank and 3 days later it was almost empty! The only place I went was to gymnastics. For my girls summer schedule I am driving between 50 and 100 miles a day to get my daughters to and from the gym-crazy! We are only about 12.5 miles from the gym, but have 4 daughters, 2 on team, 2 in weekly class. Lots of trips back and forth!

Does anyone else commute this much? Or more? Makes me envious of prople that live 3 minutes from their gym-lol! I guess the drive is one of those hidden costs...

 

[bogwoppit]

This is my eleventh year of gym driving. I had a had a kid or two on team for the last 7. Some years I have driven the 80 minute round trip 9 times a week, sure to different training days and times.

My gas bill is a mortgage payment and we put about 60,000km a year on our main car.

To top that off hubby works in a city 90 minutes dirve away and my son lives in the same city attending college. Our school is 40 mins away, in the same town as the gym.

I live in the car.

My oldest girl has just finished up with gym, so there will be less of that, but youngest will train more hours, so that will make up for the other!

I totally know how you feel!

 

[nettyinpa]

This is exactly the reason I got a more fuel efficient vehicle. I didn't even have my van 2 years and had over 35,000 miles on it. DD is in the gym, ds does karate 3 times a week, both on opposite sides of town. Plus, we live over 15 miles from the gym one way. Some days I put over 100 miles and don't even realize it! Just know you're not alone!!

 

[justanothergymmom]

Bog--Oh my goodness! 11th year and 80 minute round-trip??? You have me beat!

Netty-you have 2 going 2 different directions--I feel for you. At least mine are all headed the same place each day. I wish I could get a more fuel efficient vehicle but we are a family of 6 and need the seats...

Good to know we are not alone in living out of our car! I sit in the driver's seat more than on the sofa in my family room!

 

[gymgramma]

Any chance of a carpool for the 2 on team? It sure has helped us

 

[IrenicMom]

We're right around 7 miles from the gym, so not quite 30 miles/week to/from practice (she's 2 days/week right now).

My sons' ice rink is also around 7 miles from home - in the opposite direction, of course! During the season, we're there a minimum of three days a week. With them both playing, there is a very strong likelihood I'll be there 5 days/week come this fall, though.

I always joke that I have no idea what it's like to be a "stay-at-home" mom. Between driving the kids to/from school (no bus service, and which is, you guessed it - about 7 miles from home, in neither the direction of the gym OR the rink), and all the practices, I'm always in my car.

Just this past week, I put 160 miles on my car in 36 hours, which included sleeping time!, and never left the county!

 

[Shelovesthebars]

My daughter's gym is a 45 minute round trip 3 to 4 times per week. For my son's diving, we have to drive out of state 2 times per week plus a 90 minute round trip to the 'close diving college'. I will not even go into the other 3 kids so I know what you mean!

 

[justanothergymmom]

gymgramma-Believe or not those miles include a carpool (that I am VERY grateful for) that saves me 4 trips per week. It would be 25 miles more each day (M-H) without my carpool. Unfortunately my 2 team girls are on opposite schedules and there is no one to carpool with for my older one.

IrenicMom-I make the same joke about the "stay-at-home" mom thing-too funny!

 

[emorymom]

WOW. Is that going to be better in the fall?

 

[gymmomof1]

For us we car pool with other girls in our town that also go to the gym that's 30mins away 4 days a week (I never looked at it mile wise since traffic is also an issue). The fall will bring more hours in the gym for my DD so I count my blessings that I have the other parents (and also the grandma of one of the girls helps). Again I am glad for this forum to share with you all!

 

[lovemylifex4]

I totally understand! Our gym is 60 miles round trip. Because of the kids different classes at different times I make 6 trips to the gym. And this is just for gym. There are other activities the kids are in (in that town) that we have to drive in for. This week I will be making at least 11 trips to town. LOTS of time spent in the van (and with 4 kids... the van is necessary).

This fall it will get a lot easier for us. There will only be classes (gymnastics, dance, swimming, football, soccer, etc...) of an evening and Saturdays. There will be no driving in to a class in the morning, back home and back again late afternoon for another class. Piano lessons we will do 1 day/week earlier in the day, but only have to drive a few miles for that. And each week we do private lessons (gymnastics) during school hours (at like 2:30 ~ we homeschool) but after lessons there's like only an hour and a half break before the next class starts... so we'll just stay in town and do some shopping or something during that time.

 

[bogwoppit]

Ah now there is a whole other thread. Things that we do whilst waiting for our kids to do gym. I long sinced realised that it was cheaper to drive home then stay!! The only exception being when I excercise. But the shopping and eating got crazy! How many storage containers do I need from Wal Mart?????

 

[lovemylifex4]

Ah now there is a whole other thread. Things that we do whilst waiting for our kids to do gym. I long sinced realised that it was cheaper to drive home then stay!! The only exception being when I excercise. But the shopping and eating got crazy! How many storage containers do I need from Wal Mart?????

LOL!! Summer, spring and fall... as long as it's not to cold... I just take the other kids to the park (which is just a couple miles from the gym) Many times when I go though my husband is home and able to keep 1 or 2 kids and then I just stay and watch I'm really nervous about leaving ever since my 4y/o broke her elbow at the gym. I do have to run kids to other activities and things... but I like to be really close... just in case.

 

[justanothergymmom]

My number of trips in the fall will be about the same only spread out over 6 days instead of 5. On occasion my husband can pick-up on his way home from work so that saves me and my little ones a trip here and there. But we add in other activities in the fall-piano, library, ymca classes, dance, homeschool meet-ups...so I wil be logging even more miles...

LOL- about it being more expensive to stay out than to just go home!!! I keep a case of water and snacks in the trunk of my car (someone is ALWAYS hungry!). I am so cheap I won't even spend a dollar in the vending machines!

 

[cher062]

our new drive to our new gym is only 12.5 miles according to google map but it's all on back roads. It takes about 25 min to get there and 25 min back. It's about the same drive as our old gym but instead of going west we go east. I haven't waited for the whole practice in years so It's just a drive back to the house. Hubby will pick her up later. I did stay for awhile when she started her new gym a month ago (I can't believe its already been a month and she still loves it sooooo much).

I have a mini van and go through a tank of gas in a week (that is a $40 - $50 fill up every week) Other than the gym the only driving I do groceries and any other mom taxi trips for other things like girl scout trips.

I've been doing that type of drive now since my 18 yo son was 5yo. In my area that isn't the longest drive in the world since to get to most things its 20 - 40 min drive anyway. Fortunatly the gym is near the stores and I can get my shopping done if I need to without another trip out.

 

[cher062]

Ah now there is a whole other thread. Things that we do whilst waiting for our kids to do gym. I long sinced realised that it was cheaper to drive home then stay!! The only exception being when I excercise. But the shopping and eating got crazy! How many storage containers do I need from Wal Mart?????

LOL Bog!!! How many storage containers do you need? Well how many do they have LOL!! I know what you mean though. For me I'm addicted to kitchen gadgets. How many potato peelers do I need? There are so many styles to choose from. Last time I went I came home with on of those Keurge coffee makers! I do love it now that I have it but I was doing just as good with a kettle on the stove top for years for my tea in the AM LOL.

 

[bogwoppit]

LOL!! I'm really nervous about leaving ever since my 4y/o broke her elbow at the gym. I do have to run kids to other activities and things... but I like to be really close... just in case.

I would be doing the same, at our gym the parents of preschoolers are encouraged to stay for many reasons. I didn't leave the gym for the whole class until the girls were in school as the bathrooms were in a different part of the high school they trained in and the coach couldn't stop to take them. The new gym has a bathroom literally on the corner of the sprung floor so it is way easier for coaches to manage bathroom issues.

DItto to the food in the trunk, I have only just stopped this, kids are older and can wait, but when they were young I carried coolers full of stuff about. Snacks for a family can add up to crazy real quick!

 

[gymjourneymom]

Ok, you can ALL throw cyber rotten eggs at me...DD's gym is just over 4 miles from our home(about a 10 minute drive) AND we car pool with another family!!!

 

[bogwoppit]

Jealous!!!!!!!!

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

Boy do I feel lucky. We live about 10 min from the gym so luckily I don't have to spend too much time driving. But my DS is starting cub scouts so I am sure there will be more driving coming this fall. I certainly feel for all you moms that have a long distance to drive!