Many a parent has spent an afternoon at the car dealership, or an evening at the dinner table, debating the age old controversy– “To minivan, or not to minivan?” That is the question. It seems that, one way or another, most of us have strong opinions on the subject.
Me? I’m a minivan mom. You see me all over the place. Or, at least, some version of me. A mid-30s, Detroit suburbs-living, always-on-the-go carpooling expert who spends more time in her car than at work or home.
A few weeks ago, I leased my third minivan. The first time around, it was an easy choice. I had young children, and I just figured it was what I was supposed to do. Despite the ever present minivan stigma, I really didn’t have a problem with it. The ease, convenience, comfort . . . worth it. Besides, I always have my 2005 yellow convertible mustang for my summer drives (her name is Sally). Sally is my baby before I had babies. So, in leasing a minivan, I would retain some of my cool factor, right?
As it turns out, I loved the minivan. Sally wasn’t going anywhere– she’s a permanent fixture around here– but I got a second van after the first lease expired.
This time, I was entering a new lease as my children turned eight and eleven. They’re more independent, and I’m in that “sweet spot” of parenting. The honeymoon period with the minivan was over; I’d had enough. I was ready for something new and shiny, and it was time to reclaim my car as my own and not that of my children. I was going to get . . . an SUV! Nothing too crazy though. I mean, I still needed seven seats and extra room for packing up all the stuff.
Fast forward a bit, and I was basically holding a pen to sign on the dotted line for that SUV. But I was wavering and indecisive. I couldn’t commit, which is unlike me (unless you ask me what’s for dinner, but that’s a topic for another blog post entirely). My husband turned to me and said, “You know what? I think you want another van.” Bingo! As soon as he said it, I knew he was right.
So here I am, with my third minivan, a Pacifica. And I couldn’t be happier. It’s even the same sparkly blue color as the last one, but seriously upgraded, for a price I never could have touched on that SUV. My car now has a panoramic sunroof and all sorts of crazy cool features screens that automatically work with my phone. The kids play games like checkers and Sudoku on their video screens while “toasting their marshmallows” (my son’s phrase, he’s eight) in the second row heated captain chairs. We regularly haul the extended family and all the tailgate gear to the Michigan football games (Go Blue!), and we frequently pick up my grandparents and drive them around too because the van is easy and comfortable.
I spend a lot of time in my van, and a lot of life happens there. I went “all in” as a minivan mom, and I totally own it. Not only is my van (in my opinion) the best family vehicle around, but it’s symbolic of this stage of my life, full of vibrant family and exciting places to go. That, my friends, is something I will always “re-up” and hope that the lease doesn’t expire on anytime soon.
