Are any of your kids close to driving age? Don't underestimate how much of your life you can get back with even ONE kid driving. That kid not only can drive themself but maybe be enlisted to drive younger kids if the schedules line up.
Yes. Our oldest (DS1) turned 16 in October has had his license since November. And when spring rolls around that *will* help, but last year we utilized our tiny public transportation system to get him home from baseball since we were 6 miles away coaching the middle school team, so I don't think the impact will be huge. It has made somewhat of a difference, but our district starts MS/HS at 7:50am and elementary at 8:50, so the schedules for DS3 and DS1 don't really line up to help at all. I'm spending 2 days a week driving 45min in the car getting DS3 from his school over to another elementary for basketball practice. We are friends with the main coaches and they drop him off on their way home from practice otherwise I would be adding another 30min to that drive.
Speaking of baseball. Small freak out for me (which may be unnecessary, but I know how these situations end) so I'm trying to get my stuff lined up now. This is kind of just a brain dump so don't read if you don't want to. It's definitely not running related *yet* (it would definitely impact my time to train starting in April.)
Last school year our school officially made middle school baseball a SCHOOL sport and not a club sport (which means less cost for players, some bussing, etc, AND a paid coaching job instead of it being 100% volunteer.) DH was hired and no one else applied for the job. We had 2 other very involved parents help with our "A" team and another parent take on the non-paying job of the "B" team. I helped manage and coach that team for the first half of the season until he "kicked me out" so I could actually watch my kid play (he was on the A team.)
Our varsity baseball coach resigned in December. The JV coach and one other person applied for the job. Today we had our interest "meeting" for MS baseball (where we send home some forms so families/players will let us know a firm Yes/No on playing) so we can figure out the staff/help we will need. While we were there the Athletic Director pulled DH into his office and asked if he would be interested in taking over the JV baseball coaching position....which means the former-JV coach is getting the varsity job. And DH said yes.
And then in the car DH asks me how I would feel about taking over the MS baseball position (because it's very likely no one will apply and no coaches means no teams) to which I was like WHAAAAA?! There are so many logistical hurdles to that. Childcare for the toddler 5 days a week for anywhere from 2.5-6 hours. Childcare for DS3. And the fact that I would have to leave home before a possible HS student could get here to babysit, and I don't really want a teenager driving my car or my toddler around. Finding assistant coaches (because I'm usually the assistant.) Potentially dealing with 3 or even 4 different sport schedules (we have discussed letting DS2 dual-sport with track and baseball because he did so well with and enjoyed XC season, DS1 might run track or be on varsity baseball.) And that's just the set up. That's not dealing with all of the sexism I will absolutely be on the receiving end of as a female coaching a boys team. Lots of other coaches are jerks to start with, not including that layer. But if the choice is I do it or they don't have teams (or a certain dad taking the job....we would lose players) we'll figure it out. It's only 3 months of insanity, right?
