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They'll whine, fuss, and complain in a mini-van, too. I have friends whose daughter was fully capable of kicking her older brother in the HEAD in a Ford Excursion!
Its responsible for you to get a bigger vehicle. at your age its reckless to be driving around in 2 seat top dropped roadsters, that's for 20 year old's who want to party and interact with drugs and alcohol.
I've read your post several times and thought about it. The only conclusion I can draw from this is that you were doing that. Because that's not every 20-year old in a 2 seat roadster. I know 20-somethings who do NOT drink and drive and they are driving something with a lot more under the hood than a Miata. (Including, at one time, me.) FWIW: I'd choose to put my child in a Porsche driven by a skilled driver over a minivan with a poor one.
And I'm with Stan. If the family can afford it: one for around town and soccer practice and something else in the garage. With a nice, low rumble to it.
Last edited by DewDropInn; 08-27-2012 at 03:39 PM..
No one cares what you drive. I think what people are responding to is a place we've all been. A young parent, with one young child, responding as if he's got it all figured out. Parenthood rarely goes how we are "sure" it's going to, and you find yourself faced with circumstances and decisions you "knew" you'd never have. That's all.
You may very well be correct and you will be just fine in the car you have. Or that third child turns out to be twins (I know someone this happened to). Or whatever. You may (or may not) get to the point that you need the space more than you care whether the car you drive is "ugly".
And as for the Highlander? It's great and it's what we got - when we traded the minivan in. BTW - while that 3rd row is convenient, I would never in a million years want to sit back there for any length of time. And keep in mind it pretty much negates any cargo room.
I'm a she, but thank you.
I have several friends who are in the same camp as me. My best friend has 3 children and she doesnt own a van. A minivan is NOT required for anyone who has 3 kids. That is the point i'm getting at.
But apparently I'm a "rookie", "newbie" or "naive" for having standards for my car. I will choose better gas mileage over comfort any day. On that note, i am bowing out of this thread since its just being a circle.
I have several friends who are in the same camp as me. My best friend has 3 children and she doesnt own a van. A minivan is NOT required for anyone who has 3 kids. That is the point i'm getting at.
But apparently I'm a "rookie", "newbie" or "naive" for having standards for my car. I will choose better gas mileage over comfort any day.
A minivan/SUV is not required if you have 3 kids. In fact, no car is actually required regardless of how many kids you have (or don't have). However, it is handy to have space for extra people and extra stuff if there are routinely 5 people in the vehicle.
I am not sure what standards a minivan might violate. It's just a car.
No, I never said "regardless of size of car seats". There are slimmer carseats than others and it IS possible to ride 3 to a back seat. It can be done if one makes it a priority. I will keep my car for atleast another 7-8 years and by then, it'll be time for a newer car anyway when the children are bigger. At that point I'll evaluate if I need one of those crossover 7 seaters or keep with the wagon style.
Why are you so bent on proving you don't need a bigger car? I can't remember how many kids you currently have. Based on your posts I'm assuming 1 or 2, not yet 3. My bet is on you changing your mind once kid #3 arrives. I'm not saying you'll necessarily buy a van, but something with a 3rd row. There is a reason people do it. Many reasons actually.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maciesmom
No one cares what you drive. I think what people are responding to is a place we've all been. A young parent, with one young child, responding as if he's got it all figured out. Parenthood rarely goes how we are "sure" it's going to, and you find yourself faced with circumstances and decisions you "knew" you'd never have. That's all.
You may very well be correct and you will be just fine in the car you have. Or that third child turns out to be twins (I know someone this happened to). Or whatever. You may (or may not) get to the point that you need the space more than you care whether the car you drive is "ugly".
And as for the Highlander? It's great and it's what we got - when we traded the minivan in. BTW - while that 3rd row is convenient, I would never in a million years want to sit back there for any length of time. And keep in mind it pretty much negates any cargo room.
Yes, exactly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DewDropInn
A van is as manly as the man driving it.
A man who is secure in himself is not going to give a flying flip that another man (or woman) thinks it isn't manly. Give me a man who pops his kids into a van to take them to the library or the aquarium or to school because he's involved in their lives over the guy who is strutting through town behind the wheel of his over-sized, gas-guzzling, huge-payment, parking-space-hogging, view-blocking, jumbo SUV any time.
Yep. Love me a Man in a Van with a bunch of kids whooping and hollering on their way to a ball game. Dead sexy.
I think resisting the mini van when you have 4+ kids is just silly. I know people who've done it. They got some strange cross over that doesn't run well. I'd rather have a honda van any day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rezfreak
I'm a she, but thank you.
I have several friends who are in the same camp as me. My best friend has 3 children and she doesnt own a van. A minivan is NOT required for anyone who has 3 kids. That is the point i'm getting at.
But apparently I'm a "rookie", "newbie" or "naive" for having standards for my car. I will choose better gas mileage over comfort any day. On that note, i am bowing out of this thread since its just being a circle.
No one said it is required. Only that it makes a lot of sense, and there is nothing wrong with it.
In fact, no car is actually required regardless of how many kids you have (or don't have).
I take it you live where there's public transportation? Or is everyone supposed to walk everywhere? Which is a nice thought. It would cut down on exhaust emissions and end the obesity problem but it's not practical in some parts of the country. (Not to mention that not everyone is blessed with two good legs and the ability to hoof it everywhere.)
I do wish I had the ability to rent a larger auto, but the two xc trips are work related and involve driving to the other coast, hang out in hotels for 12 weeks and then driving back, so that's out of the picture (the rental cost would be insane). I also have to bring a pack and play because the hotels we are staying at don't have them. Not looking forward to forcing the little one to drive so far, and talking with mom to be now about her flying with the baby and me catching up with them (Mrs. MD doesn't like me driving so far alone, but with books on tape the drives fly by, and I am an awesome driver (although I tend to be a bit assertive on the road)).
I am currently in the middle of the exact same trip I'll be making later, but the wife flew on that one and I drove, so the load out in the car is very different. To visualIze how things are going to be with baby, I went to REI, borrowed a BOB and threw it in the trunk. To my suprize it takes up very little space once you take the wheels off, and I am now thinking that I might be able to get away w/o having a roof rack.
Luckily we will have a test road trip coming up after the kid comes, it will only be a 9 hour trip, so even if all poop breaks out, it'll be over quick (well the drive will be, the assignment is over a month).
And for those that are wondering why I am making mom go thru all this, I'm not. She's the one that is getting the assignments, and since we both firmly believe that breast milk is what we want our child to be fed (not saying its better than formula, just what we are doing if we are able), I am traveling with mom to take care of baby. I am able to earn my income via the net, so location is no big deal for me.
And for those that are wondering why I am making mom go thru all this, I'm not. She's the one that is getting the assignments, and since we both firmly believe that breast milk is what we want our child to be fed (not saying its better than formula, just what we are doing if we are able), I am traveling with mom to take care of baby. I am able to earn my income via the net, so location is no big deal for me.
I take it you live where there's public transportation? Or is everyone supposed to walk everywhere? Which is a nice thought. It would cut down on exhaust emissions and end the obesity problem but it's not practical in some parts of the country. (Not to mention that not everyone is blessed with two good legs and the ability to hoof it everywhere.)
Public transportation here is not practical but neither is having a tiny car with 3+ kids. Nobody is required to have a car. Most people do have one, but it simply is not required. It might be impractical to not have a car, but it isn't required that people own one.
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I take it you live where there's public transportation? Or is everyone supposed to walk everywhere? Which is a nice thought. It would cut down on exhaust emissions and end the obesity problem but it's not practical in some parts of the country. (Not to mention that not everyone is blessed with two good legs and the ability to hoof it everywhere.)
