This dispatch was in part inspired by Megan’s recent post about not using her car. My wife and I are in a slightly different situation. We have two kids and both work full-time. When we had one I stayed home (for the first 18 months) like Megan. Now that we have a second, and both of us work traditional schedules, it is important to reflect on the ups and downs of one car, two kids, two jobs, and life.
While we have been a one car family for 6.5 years, we had previously lived within walking distance of my wife’s work. Since this is no longer the case, we had to figure out what was sustainable for us. A second car, even a used one, meant extra expenses. The daycare we chose is not cheap, but of the highest quality we could ask for and afford. However, that necessitated trade offs. Fortunately there is a limited bus (not quite as good as the express bus) just outside the daycare doors. This means my wife and I have to get to the daycare with enough time for me to drop off the kids and catch one of three options (7:30 – yeah right; 8:05 – more likely; or 8:35 – not ideal, but viable) to downtown Minneapolis and then an express transfer to St. Paul. This makes for a lengthy, yet productive commute. My wife drives to work and leaves by 5 to pick up the kids. If I get to work at 9, I can leave at 5 and meet them back at the daycare, though that bus has been up to 20 minutes late.
In short, it takes working together and communicating, not something that comes naturally to all people. Our older son plays a role, too. Sometimes I can play with him for a few minutes prior to leaving for the bus, other times he has to let me go with only a “good bye.” Hopefully he’ll understand that riding the bus is normal. We talk to him a fair bit about having one car. There’s nothing preachy about it, just matter of fact. The fact is, it’s not sustainable in the economic and environmental sense of the term. I know some people are incredulous that we don’t have a hybrid, but the reality is that being a one car family requires trade offs.
At least I wrote this entirely on the bus, and before transferring to the express bus so now I can get back to reading and work on my next book review.
[Author's note: This was written prior to my sister's offer of her old Prius. Feel free to read about my consternation with this offer.]