- We traded our SUV for a minivan when I was pregnant with my second child.
- It makes my life easier, and I absolutely love it.
Before our youngest was born, I drove a small SUV. The car seat for my first son barely fit — we would have to move it from the driver or passenger side to make enough legroom in the front seat depending on who was driving and who was sitting passenger. Then, we only had a single seat for gear and passengers. It was also a four-cylinder, so we were getting nowhere fast.
It was difficult to get the car seat in and out of the vehicle. I was forced to squeeze it through small openings and risk constant door dings. It was a recipe for constant frustration.
So, when I was pregnant with our second child, we got a minivan. And it's one of my favorite things in life.
I was instantly obsessed with my van
My husband said since I was the one driving it daily, I got to choose what we'd get (I chose a Honda Odyssey Touring). It has great gas mileage, push-button doors, leather seats, and holds all the kids' stuff. It even has a refrigerator compartment, which was a game changer while I was breastfeeding. But one trip in, and he, too, was hooked.
Suddenly, instead of fussing with hinged doors that made it difficult to load and unload the car seat and our kids, we suddenly had large, sliding doorways that gave a bigger entry point for whatever we needed to load into the car. Plus, there was more than enough space for a stroller, cooler, and anything else we needed. And the kicker, the thing had more legroom than we knew what to do with.
As the years went on, even more pros revealed themselves. The ample backspace is the perfect spot for fast-food picnics during rainy days or those outings that became lifesavers during the pandemic. A removable seat in the back allows us to make more space or use it as a parent seat during road trips. Automatic doors are easy for kids to shut and make for quick school and activity drop-offs.
Shall I go on?
My friends say it's dorky, but I don't care
I have several friends with vans, friends whose opinions I trust. But I also have a crew who think vans are dorky or embarrassing. They would rather buy SUVs, have to get gas more frequently, and struggle with a lack of features than admit that they are wrong: that vans are the best thing to happen to moms. Especially moms of young kids.
They say "I could never," like it's a turtleneck with a pocket protector. What do they think is going to happen? The van will come with an entomologist gig? That they will have their head flushed into a toilet every time they drive?
They giggle as I drone on about my love for my van and then complain in the same breath about how hard it is to park their giant rig. Meanwhile, with cameras on every angle and a swift turn radius, the van parks with ease.
What's dorky about making life easier while also spending less money? By all means, haters, continue being too proud. I will gladly take the perks.