Mom Taxi Mode: Scatterbrained, Seatbelted, and Still Showing Up 🚗

Most days, I feel like I run a small transportation company with questionable scheduling software and a snack budget that rivals Disney World.

With three kids—ages 11, 9, and 3—my life is basically a minivan in motion. And while I try to juggle it all with grace and precision… I forget things. A lot.

Truth is, I’ve always been a little scatterbrained. I have great intentions, decent checklists, and a brain that occasionally goes rogue. But hey—I’m working on it.

The other day, the big kids were off at camp, so I had a sweet little plan for some one-on-one time with my 3-year-old. We were going to the pool, just the two of us. I had it all handled: lunches packed to eat in the car, water bottle filled, and my toddler beaming with excitement.

In a moment of inspired parenting (or maybe just wishful thinking), I gave her a little independence.“Go ahead and pick your own swimsuit and towel and bring them down to the bag,” I told her.She nodded proudly and skipped away.

We dropped off the bigs, zipped through dance class, and finally arrived at the pool. I felt like that mom, the one who had her stuff together.

Until…

BOOM.We hit the changing room.

And there it was.She had packed her 11year-old sister’s swimsuit. 😅

Now in her defense, the girls do have a few matching suits. And this one looked right. But when a size 10 starts sliding off a size 3T body like a deflated floatie, it’s a clear no-go.

I could’ve panicked. I could’ve gone home. I could’ve called the whole thing off.

But instead…

I was that crazy lady on the lounge chairs letting her kid swim in a dance leotard.

It was pink. Cotton. Not too frilly. Also? Completely see-through.There was some resistance, of course. “I can’t swim in my DANCE leo!” she argued.But she knew as well as I did—that size 10 suit was a water hazard.So into the pool she went, in her sparkly little leo, giggling the whole way.

And honestly? That memory is going to stick with me forever.Because it wasn’t perfect—but it was still pretty magical.

The Stuff That Keeps Me Semi-Sane (In the Car) 🚙Let’s be real: my Subaru is my second home. Maybe even my first. I’ve gathered a few must-haves over the years that keep our drives smoother, cleaner, and slightly more organized. These are linked below—some are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission (thank you for supporting my chaos 🫶).

🍿 Car Snack Game Strong

• Snack Organizer --- Holds granola bars, fruit snacks, rogue french fries—you name it.

• Insulated Snack Bag --- Keeps yogurt pouches cold and moms from melting down. Seriously, THE BEST!

• Reusable Snack Cups --- Lids that actually stay on + dishwasher safe. Enough said.

🎧 Entertainment for the Road

• Kid-Friendly Headphones --- Volume-limited, colorful, and a total silence-saver. SO MANY OPTIONS!

• Car Backseat Organizer --- This has been a life saver for us. There is always something to do if we are in a pinch. A book to read, coloring, small fidgets and toys! Amazing!

• Kindle --- Great for longer drives or dance class waits. Seriously, you can check out kids books from the library for free with this thing. It has been such a blessing so my kids aren't asking for screens.

• Mini Travel Puzzle Game --- Road-trip approved and backseat boredom-proof. Great for critical thinking as well!

🧼 Keep It Clean(ish)

• Portable Car Vacuum --- Because crumbs. So many crumbs.

• Tissue Holder --- Practical, and looks good! Win-win I say.

• Pop-Up Trash Bin --- Small, collapsible, surprisingly essential.

Being a mom taxi isn’t glamorous. It’s messy, noisy, unpredictable—and kind of beautiful in its own wild way.

Sometimes you forget the swimsuit. Sometimes your kid ends up in a leotard at the pool. Sometimes your SUV smells like apple juice and mystery.

But you show up. You drive. You pack the snacks and turn up the Zombies 4 music and make memories between drop-offs.

And that, my friends, is what thriving in the chaos really looks like.

💛 Tell me your funniest mom taxi story below, or the thing you keep in your car that you swear saves your sanity.