<p>Transportation is indeed a problem for those kids like the OP, who don't yet drive and have parents whose schedules won't allow them to get their kids back and forth. Carpooling is great if there's a time to reciprocate, but often there isn't. Someone suggested biking - great if it works for you, but I don't live in a very bike-friendly world. My d's dance studio is 10 miles away (by highway yet), and she finishes up at either 8:30 or 9:30 PM four nights a week. That's well after dark most of the year. It would require two transfers and a similar number of hours to accomplish those 10 miles using public transporation. </p>
<p>Yes, kids can choose more convenient ECs. But "it was on the bus line" doesn't really sound like a good reason for "why XYZ is my passion." :)</p>
<p>As Frazzled said...for carpooling, you need to be prepared to do your share in some way (and it may not be the driving...one parent in our carpool really couldn't drive but the parents provided snacks for the kids for all the trips).</p>
<p>frazzled1 - we beat you by 5 miles.:) When our kids were younger, they were at different levels of ballet. We used to have do it 2 round trips a day. Last year was great, they were in the same level and the older D drove. This year we are back to driving again because our older D is away at college. We have no public transportation, schools and ECs are at least 15 miles away, and most of kids around us have different schedules to make carpool very difficult. My H works out of home, except when he travels oversea, so he drives during the day and I do pickups at night. My parents pitch in when my H is not home, or we ask other parents to help out for a few days.</p>
<p>We have been very fortunate with our arrangement. If carpool is not available, would your parents consider paying a reliable HS or college student or a staying home parent to drive you around? I know some parents have also paid teachers to drive their kids. I don't recommend moped because it is dangeous with so many SUVs around.</p>
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And if there area doesn't have much public transportation, then that may be something to fight for
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<p>CGM-You have no idea how funny this is to those of us who don't live in urban areas. Thanks for the unintended chuckle.:)</p>
<p>We are only 15 miles from the largest city in NH, not in the sticks, but that means that the nearest public transportation is uh...15 miles away by very bike/pedestrian unfriendly roads. Same situation when we lived in NJ. We are 10 miles from our public high school. Carpools are a way of life.</p>
<p>Alamode-You have gotten some good suggestions about finding kids going to the same places and how your parents can fulfill their end of the carpool through snacks and gas money. They could also offer to handle all weekend rides. If you do find carpools, you can help by always being curteous and ready on time. Thank whoever is driving every time. Parents don't mind helping kids they know appreciate their efforts. Good luck, you should be able to find one or two ECs you really like where transportation can be managed.</p>
<p>kathiep--nowhere in the first post did the OP say he or she was in an area without mass transit. Given that something like 70% of the population lives in major metropolitan areas and given my personal experience with parental reluctance to let kids ride one of the safest and best bus systems in the U.S. I did not think I was overly harsh. </p>
<p>If the OP lives in an area with no bus service and where it is more than 10 miles between school and extracurriculars, then I apologize and I would say the best solution is carpooling with an offer to pay for gas--with fuel being so expensive I'm sure it would be appreciated.</p>