Large Family Idiosyncrasies #7: The Van

Once a family reaches a certain size, they can no longer ride together in a "normal" vehicle. The earliest car our family owned that I can really remember well was a dark green station wagon, which seated eight people. Since I was one of the oldest children, I had the dubious honour of sitting in the back, facing the rear. It made a strong impression on me, because we went house-hunting in that vehicle when I was five, so I spent many hours staring at road over which we had already traveled.

Soon, however, the station wagon was too small, and for a few years we rode in a rusty blue beast, a fifteen passenger van which had already been well-loved by another large family before us. We christened it Midnight, took out the back seat so we had room for groceries, and nursed it along through failing brakes and an overheating engine. Whenever we went over a speed bump, we had contests to see who could bounce the highest without hitting their head on the ceiling.

Eventually we upgraded to a new twelve passenger van, which we have now been using for more than twelve years. There are many interesting facts about riding in a big van, which all large families understand, but other people may never have considered...
- It is much easier to find your car in the grocery store parking lot. It sticks out like a sore thumb.
- Unless you go to a homeschool conference, where it is virtually impossible to relocate. In this situation, it is prudent to park next to one of your friends who has a small vehicle, so you can find it again.
- A lot of people are scared to drive it, because it is so big. However, it's really not that hard to steer. Be prepared to run over a few curbs though.
- Sitting in the back, it is impossible to follow the conversation going on in the front. There's too much background noise, and too much space. This can be rather frustrating, since everyone wants to know what's going on.
- The front row is most coveted, since you have more legroom, as well as being able to hear and talk to Dad and Mom. We have to rotate seating every once in a while, so everyone gets a chance. Misbehaving children also get moved to the front, however, so that it is easier for Mom or Dad to deal with them.
- A van rides quite a bit higher on the road than most cars, so we can see further, and look down into other people's cars.
- My siblings can ride for hours in the van, squished between two other kids, but put one of them in a small car, by themselves in the back seat, and they start feeling carsick. Somehow the motion is different, and we're not used to riding long distances in small cars.
- It is a useful distinguisher when giving directions to your house to people who have never been there before. "The driveway with the big white van" is impossible to miss.
- You can fit a harp in the back. I know this from personal experience, and there are not many vehicles conducive to carrying a harp!

There are many logistics involved in getting everyone in the family to a certain place at a certain time, and having a vehicle big enough to seat us all at the same time is a major piece of that puzzle. In a big family, that is not something to be taken for granted!