But there's a bit more to it than just alternating driving days.
Before you firm up an arrangement with other parents, consider the following:
Do you have enough liability insurance?
The minimum usually won't go very far if you are involved in a serious accident.
Yes, I know. You're a safe driver. But what about the uninsured motorist who plows into you at a stop sign, injuring several kids in your car?
Who do you think the other parents (and their insurance companies) will sue to make sure their children get the best medical care?
Many schools require a minimum of $300,000 liability for field-trip drivers. So there's a ballpark number for you.
At least check with your insurance company to see whether you have enough coverage to feel safe.
10 Rules of the Road
1 Set up carpools only with neighborhood parents.
If you have to drive 10 miles out of your way every fourth day for one far-flung kid, it may not be worth it.
2 Make sure the other parents have a valid driver's license and sufficient insurance, too.
Unsure? Ask. Arrange to swap or buy car seats for younger kids if necessary.
3 Make sure the other moms are somewhat reliable and are safe drivers.
Want to know for sure? Ask your kids the first week. They'll tell you whether they drive like you or not. (You can interpret the results.)
4 Arrange a schedule that's actually going to work for your family commitments.
Establish how to change the schedule, and how to notify other moms if your kid is out that day. If there are more than two of you, you'll probably want to arrange a phone tree for this as well as for emergencies.
5 Establish that unruly children will be dropped from the arrangement after three incidents.
If you work this rule in ahead of time, it's easier to address when an incident actually occurs.
6 Make it clear that no one else may pick up your child without your permission.
Do you really want your neighbor sending her teenage drag racer son to fetch the kids one day while she's getting a manicure?
7 Insist that all drivers have cell phones they keep on during driving duty.
Keep a carpool directory and schedule in the car for last-minute changes or questions.
8 Insist that other parents don't run errands with kids in the car.
The kids need to get home. They've had a long day. Older kids may have other activities to rush off to. And parents will worry.
9 Wait until a child has entered her front door before driving off.
Make sure the other parent drivers do, too.
10 Establish how long you will wait for stragglers.
Summer brings with it important seasonal chores - such as cleaning the garage. What can you reasonably expect your child to do alone or help you with? The
garage chore guide by age
can help.
