With a Nod to Harry Chapin...

I am still Homeschool Atheist Momma!

I don't know about teens in other states, but here in Missouri the regular high schooler and the homeschooling high schooler can dually-enroll in community college as well as their primary education source when they are sixteen. These dedicated students can continue high schooling in their chosen way as well as starting classes at the college level, within testing parameters of the institution.

My daughter is seventeen and has started taking classes at the community college this summer.

Many years ago I was chatting with one of my homeschool parent mentors, Nancy. A beloved woman. She was telling me about taking her daughter to the local community college and sitting out in the car for hours while she waiting for her daughter to come out of class. Although I thought she was a remarkable mom for doing this, Nancy insisted that any mother would do such a thing. I thought she was crazy and I thought she was going beyond the call of duty but she insisted that she was doing nothing notable at all.

Harry Chapin
"Taxi Driver"

These days, sitting outside of the local community college and reading my books and magazines, I see that Nancy was right. Being a parent means doing what needs doing. And my time is not my own at all these days as I taxi the kids all over the place all through the day, all through the week.

But another thought comes to me often as I sit out there in the shade of the community college campus with my ereader. Back about fourteen years ago, I had a daughter in day care as I worked and I was pregnant. Often that first trimester saw me hanging out in the daycare parking lot and napping.

Spending time in my car has been another step along the road of doing weird things in order to do the right thing for my daughter.  

So if you find yourself in a reclining driver's seat, remind yourself that this is your teen's time to shine...and it is your time to taxi.

Time moves quickly.
You can handle it.