I would appreciate another person's opinion on how to handle this situation. Last year, my son and one of his classmates started getting rides home from school with us every day. It wasn't a significant inconvenience, as the school is quite distant from our neighborhood, and our homes are relatively close. It only added about 15 minutes to our commute.
I requested my son to inquire if he could get a ride from his parents to school and I can give their son a ride home. His parents agreed, but with the condition that he be dropped off at their house in the morning, rather than picking him up on their way. While this arrangement was acceptable, it still required us to go out of our way to take him to their house. In situations where it wasn't feasible for us to do so, he had to use the bus, which wasn't as convenient as dropping off his friend directly at his house after school. Despite these inconveniences, I maintained this arrangement throughout the year, feeling that it was slightly unfair for me to be inconvenienced when they couldn't do the same.
At the start of this year, they seemed to expect the same arrangement to continue. However, I realized that my time is valuable too, and every small bit counts for me. So, I asked if they could pick up my son while I dropped off theirs. They responded with excuses, mentioning that their older son is responsible for dropping off their child and has limited space in the car. Alternatively, they said they would take him, but only if I dropped him off at their house.
Given these responses, I decided that I would take my son to school, but I am comfortable taking their child to their house. I'd be open to having their child come to our house for pick-up, or they could arrange for their child to walk or use the bus. I'm starting to feel uneasy about this whole situation, especially since I have my own busy schedule to manage. Honestly, I'm at the point where I'd rather not deal with it anymore.
It's worth noting that this classmate intentionally enrolls in the same non-regular school classes as my son. I've been encouraging my son to take these classes at different times, but there's a possibility that this other child might decide to follow my son and switch classes.
I'd really appreciate your perspective on this situation. Thank you for taking the time to consider it.
Sincerely, Carpool Conundrum Contender