How Important Is a Driving Licence When You Are a Mum?

Having a driving licence is more important than you might think. Despite this, lots of people never bother learning how to drive. Instead they rely on public transport, a lift from friends and colleagues, and taxis when there is no other alternative and it’s too far to walk or cycle. All of the above is fine if you don’t have to be somewhere fast, but if you have kids, the chances are good that there will be numerous times when you can’t wait for a taxi and the bus isn’t for an hour or more.

Being a mum is a full-time job. Unlike a regular job, however, you don’t get time off, you can’t claim sick pay, and you rarely get any thanks for working your backside off. Running around like a headless chicken is part of the “mum” job description and the older your kids are, the more they expect you to drop everything to take them here, there and everywhere. It’s called the “mum taxi service”.

Ferrying Kids Around

Without a driving Licence, and therefore a car, you won’t be able to run your kids around. On the face of it, this could be a bonus, but unfortunately it rarely is. Just because you don’t have access to transport doesn’t mean you won’t be asked to ferry your kids around for school or out of school activities. So instead of a ten minute drive from A to B, and a nice rest in between, you could potentially spend an hour or more catching the bus and then walking for a mile.

Emergency Transport

Kids are not immune to illness. If anything, they have a tendency to catch everything going, and because you are their mum, your job is to keep a close eye on their symptoms and take them to the doctor if necessary. But what happens if they are poorly and you would like the doctor to check them over? If you can drive, it’s easy: pop them in the car and go straight to the surgery. Without a car, it is harder. You either have to use public transport, which isn’t much fun with a sick child, or call on family or friends to take you.

Grocery Shopping Trips

Cars are invaluable when you want to do a big shop with kids in tow. Many supermarkets deliver, but there is a cost and it is easy to forget important items when shopping online. Without a car, you are reliant on public transport, which is impossible with a pushchair, pram, toddlers and multiple shopping bags. With a car, you can throw the bags in the boot, sort the kids out, and be home in no time at all.

It is always better to have a driving licence. You don’t necessarily have to use it or even own a car, but if you can drive, at least the option is there. So start the ball rolling and take your driving theory test. Once you can drive, you will wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.