My dear friend and fellow scribe Alison Singh Gee hooked me up with the AAA magazine of Southern California, Westways. My essay, Confessions of a Taxi Mom, came out in the SoCalLife column last week. I wrote about driving my kids around Los Angeles. It’s something I did for a long time, I still do it – sometimes I didn’t like it and other times I treasured it. It was a blast to write. When you have kids and live in SoCal you spend a great deal of time in the car. Now I’m nostalgic about that time; my kids are grown and although I adore them, I do miss those days before they were 24 and 20 years old. It goes so fast …
#AAAMagazine #WestwaysMagazine #TaxiMom #SoCalLife #Momlife #amwriting
Thank you so much for your article in Westways. I just finished reading it and had to reach out to you. I was a single Mom for 10 years and we lived in Thousand Oaks. I was a Realtor so I spent a lot of time away from my daughters. I missed all that you spoke of. However, my daughter is now 44 years old, lives in Trabuco Canyon and they have 3 wonderful children. The boys (now almost 20 and 13) have been in sports since they were 5. Her life has been like yours and I see the joy of taking them and their friends all over Southern California. Their now 16 year old sister always went along, not very willingly, but she went. My other daughter (41 years old) now lives in New Braunfels, TX with 3 children (13, 10, and 7). She is also a “Mom Taxi” and she’s so happy to see her kids involved with other good kids and activities. Both of my daughters know that “the days are long but the years are short.” I love spending time with them, just “being”. God has truly blessed all of us and may He bless you and your family too. I appears that He has. I will make sure that my daughters read your article.
Hello Emily, Thank you for reaching out to me! I’m so glad you enjoyed my essay. And like you, I’m grateful for that time we spent together. My best, Wendy
Hi Wendy-I read your article in Westways and I couldn’t believe it. I’m still living the “taxi mom life right now with two daughters ages 18 and 16. The 18 year old tried twice to pass the written exam without success. She got discouraged and just won’t ponder the idea of trying again. The 16 year old wants to drive, but she is not exactly in a hurry to finish her on line drivers ed. I even suggested that she could come and go ( with her boyfriend) without depending on others to drive. No dice. While I did and still do cherish the moments we have in the car, I’m ready to graduate from being a chauffeur. Thanks for the article and letting us know that we’re not alone in driving our teens around town.
Thanks for reading Elina! I’m so glad you enjoyed my essay. Yes, I was hoping to have graduated too! But that’s not going to happen anytime soon I’m afraid. Hang in there!
Cheers,
Wendy
Hi Wendy, I just read your article in Westways and totally understood your taxi mom life. I have 3 children, they are 26, 22 and 12. My elder two children started their own driving while went to college. Since my little one is just 12 so I am still a taxi mom. If she starts her driving in 5 years, it means that I expect to be a taxi mom for …. 31 years ???
Thanks for reading Rebecca! Thirty one years – wow. That might be a record. My 20 year old daughter is taking a gap year from college and has been studying for the driver’s test. Fingers crossed! In the meantime I’m driving her to work. Sigh. Thanks again for reaching out. Cheers,
Wendy
It’s my blessings to be with children around for these years! Enjoy.