Summer vacation has come to a close (Can you believe it?) and your kiddos are officially back in school. Has this week been a little more hectic than you would have liked? Is the constant picking up and dropping off throwing your schedule for a loop? It’s not too late to organize a carpooling system with other parents! Leif Johnson Ford is here to give you a few friendly tips on how to get the ball (or the car) rolling on organizing the carpool of your dreams.

Trust your fellow carpoolers

The goal is to get your kids to school both on time and in one piece. Considering the importance of safety and punctuality, make sure you know and trust the parents you’ll be sharing car pool duties with.

Ask the parents of your children’s friends; Let them know you’re putting together a carpool. The smaller your list of carpool candidates, the more likely your little ones will be in good hands. If you have a few parents in mind, consider a meet-up with them to determine whether the group will work well together.

Organization is key 

So you’ve found your perfect fellow carpooling parents. Now it’s time to execute a plan.

First, organize a schedule that works for everyone involved, starting with a driving rotation. Is it most convenient for one parent to be responsible for for pickup and drop-off on certain days of the week?  Or would it be better for parents to work  out a schedule where each is responsible for one weeks worth of driving? Decide the best plan so that everyone involved is happy and pitching in equally.

Secondly, you’ll need to make sure everyone frequently discusses the carpooling situation. Whether this be in person or over the phone, texting or through smartphone apps like Carpool School Edition or Looptivity, just make sure every parent knows the pickup/drop-off locations and has the rest of the group’s contact info.

Be prepared (And have fun!)

Make sure each parent’s vehicle is equipped with items like an emergency roadside kit, first-aid kits and on-the-go eats for the kids. Ask about food allergies and sensitivities while planning the car pool.

Keep your backseat travelers entertained with more than just their smart phones/tablets by planning road-trip game and conversation ideas ahead of time.

Last but not least: Make a plan, but realize things won’t always go perfectly as planned, and have as much fun with that as you can.

Have any car pooling tips or stories of your own? We’d love to hear them! Comment below with any suggestions or anecdotes you might have!