Single Parent Child Transportation Tips

As a single parent, you have one car and one driver unless you happen to have an older teen with a driver's license. But, you have places that you need to be and so do your kids. How can you juggle your child transportation responsibilities?

First, look for opportunities to carpool. Ask other parents of kids involved in the activity if you could possibly carpool. If you're looking for a carpool to school, ask the school office or look in the school's student directory for students that live near you.

Some children's activities require a parent to stay with the child. But, what do you do if you have two kids in such activities at the same time? Ask the activity leader if you could designate another parent as responsible for your child in your absence. Maybe you and another parent could take turns assuming this responsibility for each other's kids so that you both don't have to attend every week.

If you are lucky enough to have relatives or friends who live near you, ask them to help out with child transportation if you get into a bind. But, you need to either be returning favors in some way or use this option sparingly since they may get tired of being asked constantly for rides.

If you are moving to a different house or apartment, be sure to choose a location that has opportunities to walk or bike to places that you kids frequent such as your child's school. An older child could then walk home if he or she needs to stay after school for a function, saving you from having to provide a ride.

Public transportation can be an option for older kids. You may be able to buy a pass that will allow your child unlimited rides for a month at a time. If you have a teen that drives, it may work out better for you to let the teen drive your car if he or she has after school activities and for you to take public transportation to work. Or, you may be able to find a car pool for work to free up your car for your teen on some days.

Sometimes, you can juggle events that occur at the same time in different places. For example, you may be able to drop one kid off early and then attend part of the other kid's event. Then, you leave that event early so that you are on time to pick up your other child. This option can work well if the second event is a sports-related where you can tell the coach that your child won't be able to play the last quarter. Since kids usually have to sit out a quarter anyway, your child still gets to play as much as any other time. He or she will just have to call a friend to get the final score. If one child is old enough and is at an activity at a relatively safe place such as a YMCA, he or she may be able to wait in a lounge area or even use the facility until you can get there.

Taxis may be an option for older kids. In some locales, putting kids in taxis is common. In others, it's rare. As taxis are expensive, this is probably an emergency option for most single parents. And, there could be safety concerns.

Some locales have child transportation services. These tend to be pricey due to insurance costs for the company, but could be an option.

If you know a trustworthy teen, neighbor, or retiree, you may be able to hire him or her to chauffeur your children. Or, you might be able to find another parent of a child attending the event to take your child even if you can't reciprocate and then offer gas money.

If you have an errand that must be done at the same time you are supposed to be somewhere with your child, you may be able to hire an errand service. This, of course, depends on the errand and whether you personally must be there such as for a doctor appointment.

Child transportation can be a struggle for single parents. With some planning and creative scheduling, you should be able to find a way to get your family where they need to be at the right times.